


Telepathy

by TFALokiwriter



Series: Enterprise-Z [1]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Capture, Cardassians, Emotions, Enterprise, F/M, Flashbacks, Future, Gen, Hope, M/M, Pain, Revenge, Sadness, Sci-Fi, Stranded, Telepathy, holoprograms, kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-21
Updated: 2015-11-26
Packaged: 2018-05-02 15:05:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 29,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5252723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFALokiwriter/pseuds/TFALokiwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This deals with telepathy. The crew? Captain James Barnabas,CMO Sonny Degrias, Commander B-4, second commander Jacob Strong, Holoprogram Chief Security 2.97,and Chief Engineer Rebeca Stern to name a few. This takes place in 2999 aboard the Enterprise-Z.</p>
<p>Started 11.20.2015.</p>
<p>Completed: 11.26.2015 at 10:04 AM.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A bad idea for a quiz

**. . . 2999. . . April 2nd. . .**

**. . . Enterprise Z. . .9:48 PM. . .**

Captain Barnabas was having his casual drink of orange juice rather than synthetic alcohol at the lounging area  watching  the large field of metal and rocks flying across one another with what remained of a planet once colonized by the Romulons. The Romulons with Romulan and Klingon characteristics. Barnabas had a holographic screen up around him displaying mother nature in her most undisturbed manner. It was filmed on a planet called  Garden Vros. The planet wasn't so hospital to any kind of human related civilizations.

The animals on the planet lived in harmony.

Complete, utter nature.

No space pirates.

No rogue Romulons.

No unexpected red alerts.

It was his cup of tea.

"I should go fishing," Barnabas said. "That sounds like a good idea. Computer: turn off flying slides."

Barnabas finished the cup of orange juice then he put the cup into the silverware cleaner.  He then went into his bedroom,took out his bedroom prosthetic eyes then put in his command eyes that appeared to be more realistic and had a automatic connection to the brain. The feeling of the wires connecting to those burned connector slightly stung at first. He looked up in the mirror blinking. The other pair were more comfortable in his sockets. Barnabas's real eyes were destroyed due to lye being splattered into his face.

People still did not trust Cardassian/Romulan halfbreeds. He was a young boy when it happened.  Merely ten years old.  At first Barnabas and his parents were terrified of losing his eyes but the doctors assured him nothing will be different and there will be two pairs given to him. One for school and one for home. He had to walk around a week wearing a visor with artificial programmed eyes. Boy, they were plastic and they hurt like hell being pressed into his head. It was the painful week of his life.  Until the two pairs were made. The flying slides had returned into the wall ever so carefully.

Barnabas put the casual relaxed eyes into the box.

His casual eyes had his original eye color.

Command eyes had the tint of red.

Barnbas got dressed into his fishermen attire, complete with a hat that had a lot of hooks around the rim and a brown vest. He had his own equipment for fishing. Fishing was a relaxing exercise for Barnabas ever since he was a child. He viewed the fish had lives and they, in turn, benefited him. Fishing helped him relieve any stress weighing in on his mind.

The holodeck could project bait.

"Lights off." Barnabas said,holding his fishing rod.

Barnabas exited his dark quarters into the light.

His eyes adjusted to the sudden change in light and were adjusted shortly after he made his way down the hall as he usually did. He could hear people passing by while his eyes were blinded. He had a little nod toward them mentioning 'good morning'. Now the captain of the Enterprise-Z had a handicap and not many were aware how much it affected his work. They often did not ask. Nor did Sonny who found it irritating he couldn't tell if his friend was having any kind of seizure of some sort or in some medical condition because he had prosthetic eyes. Prosthetic eyes did not share the same changes in normal eyes.

He knew the  corridor so well Barnabas could walk around with his eyes closed and still get to his intended destination.

"Captain," B-4 said, as his eyesight was clearing. "May we take a minute of your time?"

It was a cadet, by the looks of it, with B-4.

"Sure." Barnabas said.

"This is uncomfortable,Mr B-4." Came the cadet.

"Relax, Cadet, we'll get the same answer from him." B-4 said, attempting to be of some assurance.

"I am listening." Barnabas said.

"Do you have telepathy?" The tall cadet with leopard spots asked. She had the nose of a leopard and she lacked a tail. Her ears were shaped exactly like a leopard. Her dark brown hair nearly blended in with the spots on her face. Her dark sea blue uniform with a light pink secondary theme color reminded Barnabas of the uniform made in the late 2364's by Star Fleet personnel.  She was a Dekardian.

"No." Barnabas said.

The two were baffled.

"No?" B-4 and the cadet said at once.

"No." Barnabas said.

"Well," B-4 grabbed the cadet by the shoulder. "Let's go ask Ensign Charlie!"

The two hurried past Barnabas.

"How odd." Barnabas noted, then he went on his day to the holodeck.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**. . . Briefing room. . .**

**. . . 11:39 AM. . .**

"Ninty-nine point five percent of the civilization in the Milky Way is capable of telepathy," B-4 said, standing near a projection. "'Except for I and the holoprograms." He tapped on the screen. "Except. . . "

"Except? . . ." Barnabas said.

"Five percent of civilization has dormant telepathic abilities," B-4 said. "I have ran a test."

"That explains it." Sonny said.

"Yes, it does." B-4 said.

"Explains your questions." Stern said.

B-4 appeared as though he wanted to sigh as he looked over to Captain Barnabas.

"There are currently five people in the Milky Way who are not fully intuned to telepathy," B-4 said. "It mostly consists of  our Captain Barnabas, Lieutentent Commander Jacob Strong of USS _Enterprise Z_ , Bryan Audios of the USS _Fighterpilot-C_ , Adrian P Janeway of the _USS Voyager-P_ , and. . ." He paused, making it seem intentional. "President of the United Federation Tevrek of Vulcan."

The captain raised a brow.

"So?" Barnabas asked.

"Telepathy is a major part of evolution," B-4 said. "It is mostly characterized by telepathy and other powers related to the mind. . . for example!" He took out a primitive pen. "Miss Stern, make this pen float."

B-4 dropped the pen.

The pen never landed.

It hovered there for a minute then drifted off to the table.

"That is  child's play," Sonny said, leaning back into his chair.  "It took me five months to achieve that."

"We evolve into pure energy like the Q and the other non-corporeal beings we have come across in the past one thousand years." B-4 said.

"What about Treylane?" Barnabas asked. "He had machines to help him."

B-4 nodded.

"Non-corporeal life forms draw off energy from their environment," B-4 said, tapping on the screen with the extendable pen. The slide changed to the image of a vanishing Q being consumed by white energy in what seemed to be a monk's cloak. "We have come to the conclusion the very force allowing entities to go where-ever they want is energy. PURE. RAW. Energy." He rubbed his two fingers together. "Star Fleet Cadet Rosie and I were part of a study. Rosie will be returning to Earth shortly . . ."

There was a period of silence in the briefing room as Barnabas put his elbows on the table then leaned his two fists under his chin

"There is a catch, isn't there?" Barnabas said.

"Yes, Captain," B-4 said, tapping the screen to display a glowing orange ball. "There is."

Chief Security didn't need to be able to read minds but the concern went over to the captain and his second officer.

"Star Fleet would like to see how the growth is stunted for you on Cardassia Seven." B-4 said.

"Cardassia. . ." Barnabas said.

"Yes,Captain." B-4 said.

"If he goes, then some-one must make sure he does not get attacked."  Chief Security said,his hands in a fist. "A mobile holoprogram capable of blending in and seem casual. I have programmed  a Cardassian version of myself that needs a live connection to me for in case any life threatening situations come about."

Barnabas sighed.

"Cardassia is a peaceful planet, Mr Security." Barnabas said.

"You have a history of being attacked on that planet, Captain, with all due respects." Chief Security said.

Barnabas sighed.

"That was on Earth ten not Cardassia seven," Barnabas said. "Besides. . . Why Cardassia seven, Number One?"

"There is a control factor to the experiment that they will conduct," B-4 said. "I have heard it is going to be rather simple."

"If I don't pass them?"  Barnabas asked, raising a eyebrow.

"Then, Captain, you will be one of five last humans from the Milky Way system when the change has occurred." B-4 said.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**. . . Two days later. . . Cardassia Seven . . .**

Barnabas last recalled a stroll down the street of Sezen Palfree.  His head felt aching. He could feel pain on the ridges along his eyes. He had been wearing his casual bright green eyes. But now? They oddly inflicted pain on him whenever he tried to open them. He could feel  his hands were bound to an armrest. He could remember the scent of the sweet grass, the hot and humid weather that partially made Cardassia Seven the seventh home planet of the Cardassians. He remembered seeing a shadow in the corner of his eye. He had photographic memory due to his Cardassian heritage.

What was wrong with him?

"Let's see if they work on him."  Came a gruff older voice.

Then his right eye could see.

"Where am I?" Barnabas asked.

He saw the Cardassian with a sleek neck, broad shoulders, and a unusual design of scales all over his face making the shape of a mustache above his mouth. Barnabas could see a rocky ceiling covered in what seemed to be obsolete technology dangling out of the crevices along with a couple branches keeping electrical string together. There was a bright glow in the distance followed by what seemed to be the edge of a console like device seen on a starship in the 23rd century.

"You are our prisoner for the time being," Came the gruff Cardassian. "You may call me Karon." The older Cardassian snickered. "You were easy to take out."

"The procedure has been completed, Karon." Came a woman's voice.

"Whatever you are thinking, I am not going along with it!" Barnabas said.

Karon leaned forward.

"You already have," Karon said, with a grin. He held his hand up and snapped his fingers, "Come."

In came a Cardassian/Romulan with a striking appearance to Barnabas, except he lacked a right eye. 

"State your rank and age." Karon said.

"Captain, thirty-four." The other Barnabas said.

"Birth." Karnon said.

"'January 1st, 2965." The other Barnabas said.

"Current posting." Karon said.

"Enterprise-Z." The other Barnabas said.

"Current assignment." Karon said.

"Telepathic testing." The other Barnabas said. 

"No!" The original  Barnabas shouted, struggling in his binds. "You are not going to take MY DAMN SHIP!"

"We already have,fool," Karon said, putting one hand on the side of Barnabas's face with a grin. "Now, you've seen me and our friend has awakened. . . I need that eye."

Karon took out the eye from Barnabas's right socket followed by a high pitch scream.

"Here's the eye," Karon said, tossing it to the other Barnabas over his shoulder.

The other Barnabas put the eye into his empty socket.

"Whatever you got planned. . . Don't expect it to be carried out." The original Barnabas said, as green blood dripped down out of the empty socket.

"The deaths of two thousand people in a Romulon attack will make war," Karon said. "And we want to participate in that."  
  
  


	2. When the captain acts odd

**. . . Enterprise Z. . .**

**. . . One day afterward. . .**

"Captain," B-4 said, catching up to Barnabas. "How were the test results?"

"I passed with flying colors," Barnabas lied. "The tests were very easy."

B-4 smiled.

"Good to hear, Captain," B-4 said. "Now I want some advice. . . Dating advice. . ."

Barnabas's eyes grew wide.

"I am not the best advice giver, B-4." Barnabas said.

"You gave me advice on whether to adopt a cat nine years ago," B-4 said. "Your advice is golden and sound."

"But dating?" Barnabas repeated. "I have no clue about dating."

"You have been married three times and each time you had a divorce a couple years later," B-4 said. "That says, by my recollection, is that you had enough experience with women by then."

"Who's the special lady?" Barnabas asked.

"Cadet Rosie," B-4 said. "I am having trouble deciding if it should be carried through messages or live feed."

"B-4," Barnabas said, coming to a stop. "I realize this is your first time considering pursuing a romantic relationship. . . but maybe it won't work out for you."

B-4 appeared at first to be concerned.

"Captain?" B-4 said. "You never say 'maybe', most of the time you start off with 'But there is a possibility' regarding speculative events as a break up." The golden tinted android tilted his head. "Were the tests not as simple as they were claimed to be?"

"Yeah, I am just out of it," Barnabas said, shaking his hand. "Really."

"If anything Captain, Q could someday pop up and finally appear after so long explaining this abnormality in the four other people." B-4 said.

"That rotten Q." Barnabas said.

"Captain?" B-4 asked.

Barnabas had a smile.

"I am just furious he hadn't appeared." Barnabas said.

"Ah,I see," B-4 said. "So am I." B-4's yellow eyes simmered down at first as he looked toward the dark blue rugged floor then back up toward the Cardassian. "I have been expecting him to appear since I was first activated with my brother's memories. Thank you for the help you could share, Jim."

B-4 went right past the captain. 

Barnabas sighed.

_I should use the dojo to clear my thoughts_ , Barnabas  thought.

Barnabas went to the nearest holodeck,requested a silent dojo, and allowed the holodeck to dress him up in clothes suiting for the meditation.  He sat down, crisscrossed his legs, and began into his deep meditation.  The original Barnabas wasn't much of  meditation kind of captain nor would he ever be. Anyway, Barnabas was left alone for two hours. Chief  Security entered the holoprogram without much problem due to his senior rank aboard the ship. It surprised the Romulan holoprogram that after nine years the captain chose a building much associated to various cultures. He saw the shoes that belonged to his captain at the door.

Chief Security felt as though he was intruding on his captain's privacy.

But that question had to be answered.

Chief Security carefully made his way up the pebbled path past a small brook that had a bridge entangled by vines with little pretty flowers. There were swans swimming craning this neck right behind into their back as though digging in for something very annoying. They were beautiful animals that complimented the beautiful peaceful scenery. The grass was a perfect shade of green. The dojo had a brown roof, a painted upon sliding door, gray walls, brown mat, wooden porch, and a brick staircase leading up to the building.

Usually the captain would be fishing, horse back riding, or watching a play rather than being in a dojo.

It was so out of the captain's character.

Now if Barnabas had a flavor for earl gray tea, he might have been a unusually hobbyist like Jean-Luc Picard.

Chief Security opened the door to see his captain mediating.

"Sir?" Chief Security said.

Barnabas opened his right eye.

"What is it, Security?" Barnabas asked.

"The holoprogram I gave you, sir," Chief Security said. "Did you ever use it?"

Barnabas shook his head.

"No," Barnabas said. "I did not," He closed his eye. "I saw no use in it, really."

Chief Security had a apologetic look about his face.

"I am sorry for the intrusion, sir." Chief Security said.

"Apology accepted." Barnabas said.

Now usually the captain would say, "No need for a apology." while shaking his hand.

Chief Security viewed that as odd, but then again his captain is usually odd. But this was out of character. Chief Security shut the door then went back in the direction he came from for the door to the holodeck. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was really wrong here. Something was not right. His system matrix had concluded that. Chief Security picked up the pebble then tossed it in the direction of the door.

The door became visibly shortly after the pebble hit the door.

Chief Security approached the doors to which they automatically open for him.

The Romulan Holoprogram exited the holodeck.

The plan was slowly going in motion bit by bit.


	3. Oh, with Barnabas

Shackled.

Trapped.

Far from everyone he knew.

Barnabas can feel a tight pain around his neck. The collar. The damn collar. The injury inflicting collar only used on Cardassains during interrogation for information. Barnabas was many things. But admitting that his kind had a terrible form of information fishing was not one of them. The blood coming out of his sockets had stopped hours ago. Barnabas's head had been lowered down, craned really, toward his lap. He just knew it was his lap because it the most reasonable place.

Where did Karon get his dirty hands on it?

How, in fact, did he?

Barnabas was being thoroughly injured.

"My name is Christi," Came the female voice. "Of Cardassia Four."

"If you have a heart. . ." Barnabas said. "Let me go."

Christi tipped his head up.

"No can do, James,"  Christi said, then Barnabas felt hot stinging pain in his fore-arm. "We just need you to be alive for the connection. That is all. And when the deed is done. . . I will personally kill you."  His eyelids were closed over the wound in his socket. "That is why I signed up for this. . ." She stroked the side of his cheek.  "To kill a Cardassian/Romulan halfbreed, who wouldn't take the chance?"

"I refuse to die." Barnabas said.

"You have no choice." Christi said, softly.

His hands were clenched up in fists.

"I refuse to die by the hands of a pure Cardassian!" Barnabas said.

Christi slapped Barnabas. 

"That is what separates you from me,"  Christi said. "Half Breeds bring no achievement to the empire."

"The empire was changed to a democracy  centuries ago!" Barnabas said. "If it were military then I wouldn't be alive!"

Barnabas felt sick at the idea of Cardassia related planets turning into military paranoid era once more. In fact his stomach twisted at the idea. Cardassians lost a lot of lives due to their military way. Romulans and Cardassians, long after the voyages of the _Enterprise E_ , got together  but mostly it was the Romulans approaching the Cardassians to reform their ways and rebuild their civilization. Apparently the Romulans knocked some sense into the Caradassians to join the Federation and form a alliance. 

"You are no Cardassian." Christi said.

"I am a Romulan, and Romulans say 'NO' to military ways." Barnabas said.

Christi stepped back. 

"You disgust me." Christi said.

"Good, just what I was out to do," Barnabas sarcastically said.

Then in his neck Barnabas could feel a surge of electricity jolt through frying some of his nerves. His scream was carried out through the underground tunnel that became inaudible once it came to the entrance. Not a sound could be heard from the entrance. Perhaps it was because he was so far and down into the tunnel that following the sound of his voice would be difficult. He could feel an ache in the back of his neck. God did he feel terrible. His wounds would take time to heal. He closed his eyes focusing his energy on the wounds.

"Go ahead and shut up on me," Christi said. "Your Vulcan ancestry is more important than letting your wound heal naturally."

Barnabas made a note to himself to punch Christi at the face when he was free.

He had to try to heal his wounds.

It was worth a shot.

And calling out in his mind to Sonny was his second chance of survival. He didn't believe in evolving into entities in the next year. Why? Nothing has really happened indicating any of the sorts. Q has not appeared to any _Enterprise_ or Star Fleet related crew for the past thousand years. Even though the federation has come across entities similar to the Q but it was not that quite. Q had become a legend, a myth, a folktale, and a bedtime story. Even with the historical records from the _Enterprise D_ and the _Voyager_ showing images of him it wasn't quite that real. There were many people in Star Fleet who believed the Q were real and Barnabas was among them.  Barnabas had met entities similar to Q in his career namely one being Treylane (Or that's how the entity insisted that his name was spelled) in his years. 

Nobody was sure what Treylane was.

Treylane had fun throwing them in for loops to guess what he was.

Barnabas focused all his energy to the wounds.

_"Or maybe I am a wisp but a wisp does not have a vessel to be in ALL. THE. TIME!"  Trelane  said._

_Barnabas stood up, outraged and furious, at the entity blocking him view of the animal house on the flying holoslides._

_"Treylane, let us through, damn it!"  Barnabas demanded._

_"For your benefit?" Treylane said, leaning back in the chair across from the captain's desk.  "No."_

_"Treylane,if you give a shit about us then let us see for ourselves." Barnabas said._

_"I don't like the word 'shit'," Treylane said. "That is a mean word. Besides, why would I care about poop?"_

_Barnabas frowned._

_"You are not always going to stop us on exploring your planet." Barnabas said._

_"It is completely inhabitable," Treylane said. "I can control it. Not you."_

_Barnabas narrowed his eyes at the entity's direction._

_"We have science on our side!" Barnbas said._

_"Gothos is a planet I CAN CONTROL," Treylane said. "And it is rightfully mine, very mine in fact, if someone were to land without my permission then their head will be cut off or be given the rope to hang them by the neck." He made the slit gesture on his neck. "Very painful way to die, don't you think?"_

_Barbabas rested his knuckles on the table._

_"We need that planet for the tribbles." Barnabas  said._

_"Tribbles will not survive in that environment." Treylane said._

_"Well, there is no other planet to keep this dying species under control!" Barnabas said, shaking his free hand in mid-air._

_"Are you telling me that I am your only hope to  SAVE a entire parasite that still, to this day, shrieks at Klingons?" Treylane asked, standing up, now eye to eye with the Cardassian._

_Barnabas stopped narrowing his eyes._

_"Yes," Barnabas said. "As much as you rant about being responsible why not take care of them?"_

_Treylane sat back down folding his arms._

_"You've used my words against me." Treylane said._

_"I am using cold hard facts, Treylane," Barnabas said. "These are an endangered and adorable innocent species. They can't be on starships forever." Treylane leaned back rubbing his forehead. "Even with population control there is no way we can help when nature finds a way around it."_

_Treylane shook his hand._

_"Fine, fine, fine," Treylane said. "If that makes you happy." Treylane looked up toward the Cardassian. "You do not hang this over my head, again, and if you do. . .I will find the most terrible way to get my revenge upon you."_

_"Go ahead and plan it," Barnabas said, his eyes locked on the entity. "I won't give you the joy of hearing my screams."_

_"I'll take your word on that, Cardassian." Treylane said, with a smile._

_Treylane vanished before his eyes, no light or anything._

_He simply vanished in thin air._

_"B-4 to Barnabas."_

_"Barnabas here."_

_"All the tribbles have vanished."_

_Barnabas sighed, relieved, that they were taken._

_"Good," Barnabas said. "Set route for Starbase 29.79."_

_"Yes,Captain," B-4 said as Barnabas sat in the captain's chair. "B-4 out."_

 


	4. Q family

Adrian P Janeway, Captain of the USS-Voyager P, sat in his ready room.

He had so many questions, just like everyday, but namely about his ancestor.

His ancestor had the liberty to be with Q before he vanished off the radar and never returned.

Adrian's ancestor?

Kathryn Janeway.

**Beep. Beep. Beep.**

"Enter." Adrian said.

In came his security chief, a Romulon (who had deflected from the Romulon race), with a concerned look about his face. He always had that look when he knew something he shouldn't. This chief of his? His name was Rygork. A strange name but rather fitting for him. Rygork came to the desk of Adrian then he sat down into the chair in front of it. 

"How were the tests?" Rygork asked.

"Fine, Mr Rygork," Adrian said, then he leaned forward. "You do not need to worry about me being left behind."

"Captain, it is my duty to ensure the living personnel are safe." Rygork said. 

Adrian sighed.

"Mine is taking longer to occur," Adrian said. "The researchers told me my ability will be up and running in a few hours. . ." He paused. "That is if they are right this time."

Rygork sighed.

"I wanted to be sure." Rygork said. 

"Mr Rygork, may I remind you who will be making sure you actually participate in the evolution?" Adrian asked.

Rygork played with his fingers.

"You, Captain." Rygork said, in a  faint whisper.

"If you go then I go and we both know if one of us are not going then the other is not going," Adrian said. "It will be a cold day in hell that I be left in this existence alone," He leaned back into the chair. "Besides, with the family and all, I am heavily considering what I will do when reaching the status of entity."

"And what is that, Captain?" Rygork asked.

"Going back in time to read thoughts of Captain Janeway on the final meeting with Q."  Adrian said, taking a sip of his black coffee.

"Oh Captain," Rygork said. "That is a unhealthy obsession. Your family has been carrying the pride of seeing Q for the last time and none of them has ever considered going back in time."

"How do we know they have not?" Adrian asked.

Rygork grew a serious look.

"I knew your grandfather and your great grandfather--"

"Oh stop it."

"Says the man who's dating a man older than him."

Adrian turned his monitor toward Rygork.

"Rygork, do you want to see the video?" Adrian asked.

Rygork grew a puzzled look. Even though he was 200+ years old, due to his  Romulan half, Rygork appeared as though he was thirty-six.

"What video?" Rygork asked.

There was a glint in Adrian's eyes.

"The final encounter between a Star Fleet Officer and Q." Adrian said.

"I am interested to say for the least." Rygork said.

Adrian pressed play.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**. . . USS Voyager. . .**

**. . . 24th century. . .Delta Quadrant. . .  
**

_Q walked into the captain's room looking uneasy. The doors shut behind him followed by the command "Lock doors." straight from Janeway. Q had sent Junior back to the Q continuum but it was more so of a demand than a request due to the danger it posed sticking around him. Across from the  Voyager were what seemed to be Star Fleet starships of all types including various other races._

_"Q," Janeway said. "Can you explain why every Star Fleet vessel is in the Delta Quadrant?"_

_"No," Q said, in the middle of the room. "I can't."_

_Janeway came over to Q._

_"Why are they after you?" Janeway asked._

_Q threw his arms up in the air._

_"I. don't. know!" Q shouted.  
_

_Janeway frowned, her hands on both hips._

_"You know everything." Janeway said._

_Q lowered his hands._

_"I honestly don't know why Jean-Luc and his friends, and Captain Sisko, and everyone else are after me!" Q said,now pacing back and forth. "I don't want to hurt them. I don't want to destroy them because that would_ hurt _too much!" He came to a rest into a chair now seemingly in a mess. "It seems to be the only solution. But I don't want to!"_

_"Why don't you just own up to what you did to them and apologize?" Janeway asked, taking her hands off her hips._

_"I did nothing to earn this chase," Q said. "Let alone know how they are capable of warping after me and following my tail."_

_"Q, I've known you for three years," Janeway said. "You must have done something."_

_"Kathy," Q said. "It has been ten thousand years since I saw my two favorite humans and their crew," He stood up. "The only thing I am guilty of is being a parent."_

_Janeway narrowed her eyes._

_"What you say could only be lies." Janeway said._

_"With the options I have on the table; this is no lie."  Q said._

_Then Q's mood turned into a sad demeanor as though he realized something very important._

_"Q, what is it?"  Janeway asked.  
_

_"I have. . . I have to leave this galaxy," Q said, looking up toward Janeway. That sad expression changed to 'I am leaving, for good'.  "Do remember I am only doing this for everyone's sakes."_

_Janeway approached Q._

_"Q, that offer,"  Janeway said. "I accept it."_

_Q shook his head heading toward the door._

_"Kathy, this isn't the time to ask me for that favor." Q said._

_Janeway stopped Q at the door by grabbing his shoulder forcing him to turn her direction._

_By that time she was out of the cameras line of sight._

_"You said 'If it were the last time I would meet you, perhaps. . . Just perhaps. . If you were to HAD my child, maybe we could discuss the idea thoroughly rather than cat and mouse'," Janeway said. "I have been playing it over and over again in my mind, it makes me think I have made a mistake." Q shook his hands making the insistence "No, Kathy, it was your decision." to her. "And I have come to realize it was a mistake."  
_

_"But you debunked any idea,"  Q said. "I was teasing you!"_

_"Q, I know that look anywhere and you sent us further away from home by landing here." Janeway said.  
_

_"That was an accident." Q said.  
_

_"Maybe it wasn't an accident," Janeway said. "How long have you been really on the run?"_

_"I can't say." Q said._

_"Yes, you can, Q!" Janeway said._

_"Five hundred years," Q said. "I made time go limbo because everyone else has lives (Which they are using on a senseless chase) and time is not passing. It is technically frozen. All I know is that if I leave then everyone will be returned to their rightful places in the Milky Way." He briefly closed his eyes. "I can't do it anymore. Running. That kind of deal."_

_"Running from your mistakes?" Janeway said._

_Q glared at the captain's direction._

_"Don't put it that way." Q said, hurt._

_"You are running from your friends and me, Q," Janeway said. "Don't just make this decision because of a mistake."  
_

_Q shook his head._

_"If I made a mistake, I would fix it," Q said. "Some-one is making my . . ." He got choked up. "Friends . . ." He looked down toward the floor. "Into weapons against me."_

_Janeway used her hand to raise his head up toward her._

_"Listen Q," Janeway said, lowering her hand. "Do you consider me a friend?"_

_"Yes." Q said._

_"We haven't been chasing you." Janeway said._

_Then Janeway brought Q into a kiss. It was a warm kiss, really.  A rather unexpected one. The kind where a girl would give a guy for walking her home, saving her life from ugly badass aliens, taking her to a fair, taking her roller skating, and so on. Q's hands found their way to Janeway's backside. The cameras were turned off abruptly. Everyone aboard the voyager was frozen in time (Save for Q and Janeway), literately,unable to move and were unaware of anything going on same for Tuvok who was frozen while approaching to the door. The camera turns back on to display Janeway on the couch with her forearm covering her eyes and her hand dangling off the couch. She had a pillow under her head. She appeared to be asleep. She was mostly covered by a blanket. Q sat by the young captain at the edge of the couch beside Janeway in Star Fleet uniform._

_"Fine, if you want it that way," Q said. "I will send you home in two days. . ." Q sadly stroked the side of her cheek lightly. "Goodbye, Kathy."  
_

_Q vanished in a white flash._

_Then time resumed._

_**BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.**  
_

_"Come in," Janeway said, lunging forward keeping the blanket around her chest with a look of shock. "Doors unlock."_

_Tuvok entered._

_"Captain, we have--" Tuvok stopped mid-sentence. "Pardon, I should have just commed you."_

_"Tuvok, what is it?" Janeway asked._

_"The starships are going backwards," Tuvok said.  "And so are we."  
_

_////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////_

**_. . . 2999. . ._ **

_**. .  . USS Voyager P. . .** _

"Twenty-two years later after the return of the Voyager, Kathryn's son, Andrew Janeway,  vanished during  his time as a cadet in Star Fleet leaving behind a girlfriend and his two year old daughter," Adrian said, turning off the monitor. "He was never found," Adrian turns the monitor back in his direction away from Rygork. "I believe he became a Q."

"You mean to say Q is your very great grandfather." Rygork said.

"Yes." Adrian said.

"You don't have proof." Rygork said.

"This video is enough proof." Adrian said. 

Rygork sighed. 

"If you were his great descendant, wouldn't you be a master of telepathy and power of the mind?" Rygork asked.

"I was held back, that's all." Adrian said. 

Rygork stood up.

"Adrian,  I love you but this obsession over Q and Captain Kathryn Janeway is concerning me," Rygork said. "Don't make me send you to the doctor."

"It is a family mystery if  Andrew was a human or half Q." Adrian said.

"We will never know." Rygork said.

"That's where you are wrong," Adrian said. "One day. . . When evolution comes. . ." He reached his hand over to the Romulon's much larger hand then took it. Adrian squeezed Rygork's hand. "We will _know_."


	5. Past and present

_Sonny . . ._

Sonny looked over his shoulder, puzzled, from his patient.

"Hm?" Sonny said.

It sounded like someone was attempting to pick up the telepathic phone and make a clear connection. That's how they referred 'telepathy' as. Sonny could hold at least thirteen easy-going conversations in his head but anything beyond twenty in general was truly amazing. The Federation had been pushing the line to get further from nineteen conversations to twenty-five in studies. They had been trying to find a way to extend their point of converse beyond that.  Genetic testing. Cloning. Genetic alternation. You name it. They did it.

At one point in time before Q had vanished, he mentioned how his kind could hold twenty five conversations to a hundred if there were enough of them.

Twenty-five.

They were digging for that number. 

Humanity could hear thoughts and speak in thoughts but they were not completely dependent on their thoughts, in fact many preferred the manner of communication as speaking. That was accepted in the workforce. In public, if someone from the 21st century came in, one would see people staring at each other having strange expressions on their face. Star Fleet had, in fact, made more progress then they had before Q had come along. Progress went. . smoother.

The Borg were assimilated into their civilization over the thousand years.

"Doc," Ensign Charlie Bay said. "My leg."

Sonny turned his attention back toward the Ensign.

"Right, right." Sonny said, putting a lamp like arm device over the wound.

A blue light landed through the skin of Ensign Bay's leg. 

_Sonny. . ._

The bone inside the leg began to reconnect and the layers of skin grew blood clots carefully at the bleeding area preventing the bleeding from coming out,

_. . .Me. . ._

"And you are good as new!"  Sonny said, once the wound became invincible.

Sonny slide the ray flipping a switch.

"Phew." Bay said.

_Barnabas. . .  
_

"But don't go into that holoprogram simulation again," Sonny said, warningly.

_Not. . . me. ._

"You can be sure of it, Doc!" Bay said.

Bay got off the biobed then he fell straight on his face on the floor.

"Rest your leg, my friend." Sonny said.

"I am okay!" Bay said using the side of the biobed to help him up.

_Who is calling?_ , Sonny asked.

No reply.

Sonny frowned turning away from Bay then started to head out of Medical Bay, "Activate Emergency Holoprogram II." He went straight ut of the door to find himself in what appeared to be a bar ripped right out of 2366. He could see there being civilian waiters serving the personnel. Where  the hell am I?, Sonny thought looking around. His eyes rested on the dark African American woman known widely as Guinan behind the bar speaking to what seemed be a figure similar to Data. Wait, he wasn't in the normal uniform.  He was in a black and yellow uniform. The previous conversations he was having were silenced.

So Sonny approached the bartender.

"Well Data, my advice would be to let Spot have a companion."

"A companion," Data said. " Hm. . ." Data looked over to see a man staring at his direction. "Hello?"

Sonny held his hand out as his stare changed into a friendly look.

"H---Hello," Sonny said. "It is a honor to meet you, Mr Data."

_Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god_ ,  Sonny thought over and over.

He just went through time.

Shit.

Data shook Sonny's hand.

"Nice to meet you too. . .?"

"Sonny, Sonny Degrias."

"Nice to meet you, Mr Degrias."

They stopped shaking hands.

"Mr Degrais?" Guinan said. "I know everyone assigned aboard this ship and you weren't."

Sonny turned toward Guinan.

"I .  . ." Sonny said. "I am . . . From the future."

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"What do you mean HE JUST VANISHED?"

EMH II flinched.

"That is what I am saying, Captain," EMH II said. "He went out the door and vanished. Gave me no explanation as to why I had been activated. There were nurse, who were busy, attending to a Romulon's unfix-able injury."

Barnabas sighed.

"We're going to need a new CMO." Barnabas said.

That startled B-4 greatly.

"But  Captain! For all we know he could possibly be in a temporal reality, different reality that is similar to ours but not the same," B-4 said.  "Or he could be floating around in space as some form of light energy where our transporters can catch and return."

"B-4, that is enough," Barnabas said. "He could be dead."

"Jim. . ." B-4 said, appearing to be concerned. "I am afraid there is something wrong with you."

"Lieutenant Maggie!" Barnabas said. "You are the new Chief Medical Officer."

Maggie's eye went wide.

Being CMO so fast wasn't on her career track! She believed it would take her thirteen or twenty-three YEARS to reach that post. That is if the evolution hadn't occurred by then. She looked over to the android who seemed to be genuinely concerned for the captain.  The android nodded so she turned her attention back to the captain. 

"Yes, Captain." Maggie said. 

B-4 applied the Vulcan Nerve Pinch to  Barnabas catching the captain into his arms.

"Get Chief Security." B-4 said.

"Am I still CMO?"  Maggie asked.

"Until we find Sonny, you are."   B-4 said.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 Sonny faced the  the glass window displaying space. He could feel they were going at warp eight. The bubble around the starship was more bothering than the one on the Enterprise-Z. He could sense the weight of the heavy bubble drifting through space. He could hear their concerned and confused thoughts about the ship, except for Data. Data had a processor which he used to check, verify, and see reason behind  and to decide on to acting on it. Data reminded Sonny of B-4. He had utter silence to himself contemplating the small voice. He was good at deciphering voices. 

He applied through his memory to any instance he heard someone speak that way.

Then Sonny heard a cough from behind him.

Sonny turned away from the window to see. . . _Oh my god._

The Enterprise D senior officers sitting down in the chairs.

_Hello, I am Sonny,_ Sonny thought.

_They are not telepaths, Sonny,_ Troi replied.

"Sorry," Sonny apologized, sitting down at the table. "I. . ." He cleared his throat. "I slipped into my bad habit. And I have one big question."

"And what is it?" Picard asked.

"Is Q real?" Sonny asked, intrigued.

_Is this man mad?,_ Riker thought. _  
_

_Of all the hell that he put us through, this man thinks Q is fictional,_ Worf thought. 

_What kind of question is that?,_ Geordi thought.

_Where in heavens name did he come from to ask if Q was real?,_ Picard thought.

_"_ Pardon?" Picard said.

"My future. . . Q has in fact never appeared after the voyages of a certain starship," Sonny said. "We can communicate through thoughts but Star Fleet prefers for our style of communication to be speaking." Sonny leaned back. "Our current goal is to excel ourselves, advance further into what we were supposed to evolve into, and. . . Well. . ." He tapped his fingers together. "Well, it is the footage we have of Q that is currently a hot debate of it being real or not."

"What is the normal form of communication of your century?" Riker asked.

"Telepathy." Sonny said.

_Interesting_ , Riker thought.

"We wouldn't have met with the Borg without him," Picard said. "And I assume the Borg is still the Borg in your timeline."

"Not as much," Sonny said. "We assimilated them."

"Assimilated. . ." Picard said.

"The Borg?" Geordi said. "Personally a future with the Borg would mean we have just become powerful as them with technology and done something that shouldn't have been done."

"Well it took centuries for us not counting that war with those bloody androids," Sonny said. "That war made a friend of mine be offline for far too long." He looked up toward Data's direction. "My apologies, I wasn't talking about your kind. I am talking about a whole new synthetic artificial  kind."

"Apology accepted." Data said.

"And the Borg?" Picard asked.

"Not as dangerous as they used to be," Sonny said. "They are completely human and cured. Nothing of their Borg halves remain."

Picard leaned forward.

"Tell me, does anything happen because Q does not appear?"

"Not really," Sonny said. "But he made us want to better ourselves and advance with telepathy. His disappearence . . . however. . . has remained a great mystery." Sonny knew the rules of accidental time traveling. No interference. "There are some communitys dedicated to the solving the absence of Q."

"Why is Q's disappearance so important?" Picard asked.

"We are more close to becoming what he is than before," Sonny said. "The year  I am from? 2999. Sometime next year we will ascend into pure energy. I can already feel the change happening. Sometimes I feel so light I could fly in the air. Sometimes I dream of realities that never existed, transferring my conscious to another body possessing another body for four hours and then return to my own, and most of the time my wounds heal on their own. Some have already begun the transformation. Some have already gone through it."

Sonny placed the image of a glowing blue manifestation of pure cackling energy that seemed to be more of spirit.

"That is humanity for you,"  Sonny said. "The end product of thousands of years evolving."

The image vanished out of the crew.

"If you are currently evolving, maybe you intentionally brought yourself here," Worf said. "To cause harm on the timeline."

"By warning you of evolution?" Sonny said. "Why that is absurd."

"We are going to be evolving like the Zalkonian," Picard said. "And it sounds like the federation accepts it."

"Well, many of us are afraid of it."  Sonny said.

"Afraid of evolution?" Beverly said.

"Along the way we've faced the unknown, often times poked a phaser at them, and torpedoes," Sonny said.  "It is . . " He sighed. "As annoying as he sounds on the files and  appears as on the historical videos.. . We do need a familiar face to tell us that it's going to be all right."  He folded his arms. "Treylane, hah, he is not much of assurance.  I last saw this guy five years ago scowling at a little tribble!" He laughed. "And we still do not know to this day what he is."

". .  . Are you referring to Trelane?" Worf asked.

"He prefers to be called Treylane,"  Sonny said. "So of course I am."

"We  have met up with him. . . many. . . many times." Picard said.

"And one of those many times I nearly lost most of my nurses." Beverly said.

_And Data_ , Geordi thought. 

Sonny realized what he was inside. 

He was inside a alternate timeline.  Anything can happen.  There is no record or Officer Log indicating any of the sorts going from meeting with Treylane and nearly losing Data to almost losing an entire group of ensigns. The gears moved in Sonny's head. Something was very wrong. Why be taken into a alternate timeline under no reason? Whenever Q had done anything  to the crew, those who were part of it made sure to detail it in their report to Star Fleet.

"And there was one time he turned me into a Q," Picard said. "The offer was . . .Not my cup of tea."

Sonny leaned forward unfolding his arms.

"What was it like?" Sonny asked.

"Limitless," Picard said. "But I needed a lot of self control to restrain myself from using it to fix everyone's problems."

"So you didn't visit the continuum."  Sonny said.

"Well. . . We did," Picard said. "And then I went back."

Sonny sighed.

"I am not going to ask as I am most likely to see it in the upcoming year." Sonny said.

"Why did Q leave?" Beverly asked.

"History reports say he was running from everyone including the _Enterprise_ ," Sonny said.  This earned a alarmed expression from Picard and Troi. "However, those who had been chasing him would later have no memory of it nor could the sudden influx of power be explained for the warp core." He put his hands on the table into a fist. "There was only one crew who were not part of it and remembered the events. Enough to recount his final day."

"Why are you in the past?" Worf asked.

"I do not generally know," Sonny said. "But I intend to find out. Do you have any more questions regarding my future? I will gladly answer them."

Our scene transfers to an hour later. Sonny had enough control over his telepathy to not the minds of the crew during these questions and he lowered his mental shields prepared to hear their reaction. Riker was more concerned about people invading his privacy by hearing his thoughts, Troi had mixed emotions to telepathy being the main form of communication, Picard saw the future a little more brighter, Geordi had his worries eased, Worf still had a suspicion on Sonny, and Beverly was intrigued. Geordi and Data both promised to find a way to send Sonny home.

"Captain, may I speak with you?" Sonny asked.

Picard shared a look with  Riker then had a short nod.

Riker left.

"'What is the matter?"

Sonny approached  Picard.

"This is a Alternate Universe,"  Sonny said. "And one day YOU will be part of the reason Q leaves. May or may not happen. I use the term loosely as this is a very different universe. Since Q is omnipotent and all: he could have made it un-happen, never-happen, or have destroyed you. But he chose none of them.  Q didn't destroy you when he had the chance. There is one thing that everyone in these community's can agree on in our universe: he spared you. So one day, after the days of your captaincy as a admiral (or Ambassador or retired), after you tell Q to leave and he  NEVER EVER comes back. Just remember your advocate left _because you told him to_."

Sonny went out the room leaving a speechless Picard.


	6. Screeech

The other Barnabas awoke with bright white light piercing through his eyes. He could see the shape of a lamp daggering in the way of his adjusting eyesight.

But mostly it was blindness.

Whiteness.

Pure nothingness at first.

"Get that light out of my way."  The other Barnabas said.

The light was moved out of his line of sight letting various circular shapes appear with shades of red, orange, and yellow.

"Where. is. our. captain?" Chief Security's deep voice had a really vengeful tone to it.

"I AM your captain!" The other Barnabas said.

Chief Security backed away letting his fingers rest against the wall.

"STOP IT!"

**Screeeech**

"I said, STOP IT!"

**Screeech**

"I AM THE CAPTAIN OF THIS SHIP AND I ORDER YOU TO STOP IT!"

**Screech**

"Halfbreed Cardassians cannot hear the sound of fingernails dragging against the wall from another room," Chief Security said. "You are not a halfbreed. You are a thoroughly pure Cardassian." Chief Security held his hands up displaying he lacked fingernails. The other Barnabas's eyes widened. He just blew his cover: _Oh shit_. "What kind of plan involves abducting our captain and posing as him?"

"Even if it were not a abduction, I am James Barnabas." The other Barnabas said.

"You are no Barnabas to us," Chief Security said.

In the room came B-4 royally pissed off.

"We are in orbit along the transport colony Romulon ship armed with weapons and is expecting us to fire at any given time," B-4 said. "I just got off the bridge from talking to the leader of the planet regarding your unauthorized threat on their ship. We also discovered malware on our systems and have shut down the ship except for the life support in order to get rid of the malware through our technicians." B-4 picked up the other Barnabas by the neck slamming him against the mirror making a crack in the glass. B-4's grip tightens around the other Barnabas's neck. " **WHERE IS HE**?"

The other Barnabas merely smiled.

"Why don't you ask the human captain behind you?" The other Barnabas asked.

B-4 narrowed his eye at the other Barnabas.

". . . Data?" Came a old french accented voice.

_Oh no_.

"Commander. . . You might want to see this." Chief Security said, in shock himself.

B-4 tossed the Cardassian, in range, toward the Romulan holoprogram turning toward the source of the voice. He stopped abruptly seeing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the interrogation room who appeared as though he hadn't aged a day. B-4 looked down them up almost as if he was scanning the man. He calculated the possibilities which year Picard could be from. But since he had a prosthetic left hand it gave a good indicator this might be a version of Picard who lost his left arm while under the control of the Borg and Data was the reason why it had to be removed.

"Commander B-4 of the USS _Enterprise-Z_ ,"  B-4 said. "I am not my brother," He stepped forward. "And how the hell did you get here?"

"If I die, SO DOES YOUR CAPTAIN!" The other Barnabas shouted. 

"Shut up," Chief Security applied a mouth clamp to the other Barnabas. "Excuse us." 

Chief Security towed the other Barnabas out.

Picard stepped back.

"I am nothing like Lore,"  B-4 said. "My interests are in the best place."

"The last time I heard that, Lore tried to kill Data." Picard said.

B-4 could have sighed right then.

"That makes six people in the Milky  Way who are not telepathic," B-4 said. "Have you come across a man by the name Sonny under any chance?"

"Why yes, I have." Picard said.

"Hm. .  ." B-4 said. "Let me guess, you are currently working on a way to send him back into our time and I assume we have to instigate the matter."

"In a sense, yes." Picard said.

"Trust me, Captain," B-4 said. "We have no intentions on stranding you here."


	7. Before

**. . . Before Picard’s random appearance. . .**

**. . . 24th century . . .**

“Captain, may I speak with you?” Troi asked, walking alongside Picard.

“Yes, counselor.” Picard said, heading to cybernetics.

“I believe Mr Degrias is telling the truth about where he comes from,” Troi said. She earned a raised eyebrow from the captain. “I can sense he is nervous and scared,” Picard lowered his eyebrow. “So he communicates in the way he most comfortably can without fainting.”

“It sounded to me he has done this kind of traveling before,” Picard said. “Degrias seems to know his way around even though he has not been aboard this Enterprise in particular.”

Troi nodded.

“It is surprising what he can do, or what else, we can do in his future,” Troi said. “I am currently sharing a discussion regarding the power of thought telepathically with Mr Degrias. For example a usual human in their timeline can have NINETEEN discussions telepathically.”

“And you are thrilled about it?” Picard asked, puzzled.

Troi shook her head.

“No, I rather prefer verbal communication instead of telepathically,” Troi said. “I can only do one on one telepathic conversation.”

“I am not too fond of the idea, either,” Picard said. “People reading what is on my mind without verbal speaking. . .I find that power can be easily abused.”

Troi smiled.

Picard raised a brow.

“He shared me the image of an in-joke,” Troi said. “Telepathic phone.”

“Telepathic. . . phone?” Picard repeated.

“Like a phone from the 21st century,” Troi said. “The image is of two conversations, one on the phone and the other in verbal.”

Their conversation was definitely an interesting one. Sonny was in cybernetics with Data, Geordi,and Worf. Troi left Picard shortly before he entered Cybernetics. It had been three hours and twenty-three minutes since Sonny’s unexpected arrival. Worf had a wary eye on the telepathic human. Sonny raised up his shields to contain his inner excitement from leaking out at the possibility of going home. It was a doorway built using electronical devices, metal, gear, screws, and so on.

“Captain, we believe we have found the way to take Degrias home.” Data said.

“A doorway?” Picard said.

“Why yes, a doorway that can go through dimensions,” Geordi said. “I tested it out first.”

“You’ll never guess where he landed.” Data said.

“On the bridge.” Picard said.

Geordi nodded.

“BUT in a dimension where Data was a human and you were much younger, Captain,” Geordi said. “It was a really screwed up reality. Riker was an android, you were a beastazoid, Worf wasn’t there, and Yar was still alive. I only found out my other self was a Klingon when First Officer Data tried to vaporize me.”

Data was setting the coordinates to the time and location specified by Sonny.

"How did you lock in on that dimension?" Picard said.

"My hand print." Geordi said, holding up his hand. "It turns out our quantum patterns can be altered in a machine and lock on one."

"So you changed your identity in a sense." Picard said.

Geordi and Data nodded.

"And  I can go home," Sonny said. "I was against Geordi risking his life to make sure if the machine would work. He could have died back there."

"If we sent in a animal, it would never have come back." Geordi said.

Sonny sighed, defeated quickly in his argument.

". . . Good point." Sonny said.

Picard had a strange feeling drawing him toward the doorway.

While in fact he was headed toward the threshold!

“Coordinates have been set.” Data said.

“And hand print!” Sonny said, putting his hand on a blue screen.

Worf noticed the captain headed toward the door frame.

“Captain, I advise you stay away from the door.” Worf said.

A look of sudden realization poured on to Sonny’s face.

“The Captain. . .” Sonny said, his face turning white. “Jim.”

He pieced together the words to the one and only Cardassian Half-Breed who hadn’t achieved telepathy yet. It was relatively foggy. But the words ‘Sonny. . . Me. . . Barnanbas. . . Not me. . . help. . .’ He figured now the message meant the man he had spoken to recently was an impostor and the real Barnabas was captured but alive, and that he needed help. The beeps of the machine brought Sonny back to reality followed by Worf shouting ‘Captain!’ after Picard.

Before Picards eye’s everything changed.

_The first person Picard noticed was a Romulan in a jumpsuit being dark blue and yellow along with a combadge on the left breast. Across from the Romulan was a golden tinted Soong Type android in a dark blue and red jumpsuit holding a man against a mirror with remarkable resemblance to Romulan and Cardassian._

_“ **WHERE**. _ **IS** _. **HE**?” It sounded like a furious Data._

_But Data hadn’t been given an emotion chip._

_Picard could recognize the voice even in all the intensity to it._

_The Cardassian-Romulan smiled._

_“Why don’t you ask the human captain behind you?” The half-breed asked._

_The android's grip around the half-breed's neck tightened._

_“Data?” Picard said._

_The smile on the Cardassian-Romulan's face widened._

_Hell, this half-breed was ENJOYING this too much!_

_"Commander. . . You might want to see this." The Romulan said, in shock himself._

_The android tossed the half-breed into the arms of the awaiting Romulan then turned toward Picard._

“We have to get him back,” Data said, shortly after the machine broke. “We must.”

Sonny kicked at a loose bolt with anger channeling through his fists.

“Knowing B-4, he will recreate the same machine in two and a half hours.” Sonny said.

“B-4?” Data said.

“You have a missing brother out there Data,” Sonny said. “And the day you do find him is the day you are doomed to die.”

“Worf to Riker.”

“Riker here.”

“We lost Picard.”


	8. It starts with hello

 “Hello, B-4,” Adrian said. He was in his ready room. “How is your captain?”

B-4 appeared to be grim.

“He is the reason I called you,” B-4 said. “You are in orbit around Cardassia Seven, correct?”

“Yes.” Adrian said, then he takes a sip of his dark black coffee.

And Adrian listens to what the android has to say.

“My captain is in captivity on Cardassia Seven and his impostor has refused to name where he is . . .”

Adrian spat out what he had drank.

"Hold your horses,B-4!" Adrian said. "Did you just say that Barnabas is currently a captive on Cardassia Seven?"

B-4 nodded.

"Affirmative, sir."

"The man who evaded Romulon capture, escaped a career ending court martial, and went through time travel more than I can count has BEEN CAPTURED?"

"Affirmative, sir."

"I will personally join the search party."

"And sir, make them pay. They were about to instigate a war between the Romulons and Star Fleet."

Adrian nodded.

"I will." Adrian said.

"B-4 out." B-4 said.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**. . . 25 Minutes later. . .**

"It could be a trap, Captain!" Adrian's First Officer Jordan La Forge stressed.

"They do not expect us to search the tunnels." Adrian said.

"My duty is to make sure you don't die," Jordan said. "Your duty is to the ship and the crew," Jordan tapped on the middle of his hand. "I have a duty to ensure the captain of this ship remain alive for the change." Rygork came into the transport room with three other security personnel. Adrian and Rygork shared a single look. No telepathic connection. Just one look. "And I am going to make sure that I go instead--"

Jordan fell back into Rygork's arms.

"Put him against the wall," Adrian said.

Rygork shared a nod to the other security guards  (who, by the way) were all highly  trained Klingons. Their names were Cognito, Jarrett, and Worf. This Worf is not in any way related to Admiral Worf formerly stationed on The _Enterprise D_ and _Deep Space Nine_. Rygork carefully placed Jordan against the wall. Rygork approached the transporter. Then he walked up the steps and came to Adrian's side. With a simple nod toward the transport chief, they were beamed down to the surface.

They were beamed down near  a park.

At the park were Cardassian couples.

"Do not alert them," Adrian instructed the crew. They were all dressed, casually, to blend into society. Their phasers kept in bulky long pockets that did not allow to be seen. Their shapes could not be distinguished, simply put, from the wrinkles on the fabric. "If anything, alert me through the telepathic phone if you find a cave with a anti-Cardassian half-breed symbol."

"Yes, sir." The three said.

The group split up save for Adrian and Rygork.

_Have you told Clair about your recent discovery?_ , Rygork questioned Adrian.

Adrian frowned, as they were walking over the bridge.

_Of course not!_ , Adrian replied, _How do I tell my wife that after thirteen years of marriage I have discovered that  I do not like the opposite gender?_

Rygork sighed.

_You have to tell her before the change occurs and she finds out for herself_ , Rygork looked over to see rigid themed geese swimming, _A major reason why you do not want children with._

Adrian got in Rygork's way.

_Don't put it that way,_ Adrian insisted.

Rygork frowned.

_Which way?,_ Rygork asked, _It makes you seem more aware of your sexual preference? Or you not wanting to have a child with Clair?_

"Enough."  Adrian said.

"Of which?" Rygork asked.

"This!" Adrian said. "If we are going to make this work, I need time to say it and figure out the best way to tell her! It is not easy keeping a secret from Clair."

"Let me make it easier for you, Janeway," Rygork said. "We will not continue this affair until you own up to it."

Rygork left Adrian.

Adrian sighed, raising his mental barriers up so high not the most advanced telepath could get through.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**. . . 45 minutes later.  .**

Cognito found the cave, and so he alerted everyone through the telepathic phone. Worf responded,Rygork responded,Jarrett responded,and Adrian not so much. He had to comm him using the combadge. Cardassia Seven, really, does not allow telepathic communication only verbal speaking. If anyone were found to be telepathically speaking they would face a fine and brig time. It turned out that Adrian was close by. Adrian listened intently to the instructions then ended the communication afterwards.

Cognito traveled into the tunnel, careful to not make a sound, searching for any opposing Cardassians.

He kept this up for thirty-two minutes.

_Mr Cognito?_ , He heard the captain's voice, _where are you?_

_Further down,_ Cognito replied, _Be careful._

_That is exactly the same thing Rygork told me_ , Adrian mused.

_I believe I am getting closer,_   Cognito speculated, _I will clear a path if there need to be._

_Allright Cognito._

Cognito went further and further into the cave.

". . Slap me. . ." He heard a voice.

Cognito heard skin against skin making the sound of 'smack'!

"Better?" Christi said.

"Harder." Barnabas said.

**Smack!**

"You realize even with recovering from your wounds we will make more in you," Christi said. "To jolt the DNA to our friend Folker."

"My crew know me best," Barnabas said. "They have likely figured out what is going on."

Christi wrapped her fingers around Barnabas's neck.

"Or I can just murder you here and scrap the plan," Christi said. "Never was  a team player in cognito."

The shape of disruptor was raised in the direction of cognito.

"What?" Barnabas said.

Cognito is shot through the forehead making him fall to the ground lifelessly. His fall was silent. A secondary Cardassian drags the dead body to the side. The passage way was long wide and tall enough for someone of seven foot nine to be walking around in. A metal mouth clamp is applied to Barnabas's face in attempt to prevent him from sending out a warning. The  secondary Cardassian noticed the torso glowing a light blue haze slowly being replaced by a pure white color.

"The body."

"What about it?"

"It is preparing to evolve!"

Christi sighed.

"But he is dead," Christi said. "Dead means no life."

Cognito's chest moved up and down after a brief glow in his forehead. His entire body glowed a perfect white color. Now keep in mind Barnabas is unable to see a thing. Evolution, Barnabas believed, was the change in appearance not solidity being taken away.  Far as he was concerned, nothing was happening but something WAS happening.  He heard the sound of a body falling to the rocky surface. The body of Cognito  transformed into a mystical glowing white ball with curly energy tails radiating off the center.

Then Cognito flew out through the ceiling.

There were gasps escaping from what sounded to be a lot of other Cardassians.

"Hide," Christi said. "With the prisoner. There may be more where he came from."

"No! I have a better idea. . . Why not . . ." Their voices hushed to barely a whisper.

Barnabas then was dragged and dropped against a rigid surface with his hands tied behind his back. Barnabas can feel his large hands brushed up against a hard surface. He could smell his captors were close by. The hums of machines were low and slightly obscure. Barnabas can hear the sound of light bootsteps. Two pairs. One belonged to a light-weight man. The second boot-step belonged to someone fairly tall, weighed more than the average human, and their boots did not make the same creaking sound as their counterpart.

“Jim!”

It was Adrian.

_No._

**NO**!

Barnabas heard the fire of a disruptor and the clash of a body landing followed suit.

“NO!” Adrian shouted, exchanging phaser fire.

Barnabas heard the mouth clamp be burned off right off his mouth leaving burn marks on the side of his face. Barnabas could hear a demand for reinforcement in his mind from Adrian to the still alive guards. He had a rough idea where everyone was in the room. His ankles, apparently, were bound together. It was difficult for his shoulder blades to be clashed together in his position. Barnabas can feel his wrists were stiff just barely regaining the ability to move.

_Rygork, don’t leave me!,_ Adrian plead _._

_. . . Janeway_ , Rygork weakly thought stroking the side of his lovers face, _it is my time to evolve. I can feel it_.

_Rygork, please!,_ Adrian plead _._

Barnabas felt a sharp pain in his forehead and then he lost all senses.

Barnabas was falling.

Down where?

Barnabas possibly would not know where.

Then the fall abruptly stopped making Barnabas seemingly float in darkness.

That is also when Barnabas could hear a big booming powerful and familiar voice from all around.

“ **You must stay** ,” Barnabas heard Treylane's voice. Someone had grabbed his right hand. A warm and cozy feeling was attached to the hand. “ **It is fun and all watching you fall, but there are plenty of things you have to oversee in the land of the living**.”

What possibly did Barnabas have left to accomplish?

“ **Being human**.” Barnabas heard the vague reply.

The warm hand let go of Barnabas's right wrist.

And Barnabas screamed at the top of his lungs. 

Oh that's when the captain heard a roar of laughter.

" **You are so easy to scare,Cardassian**!"  He heard Treylane's voice in the middle of the laughter.

Afraid.

It was then that Barnabas realized he wasn't flying but being blown. The wind blowing against him. He was going in the opposite direction!  He felt light. But the light feeling was bound to leave. He then crash landed in what felt heavy. Bound to the ground. Barnabas could feel his shoulders, his hands, his heart racing, and what seemed to be blood trickling down his head over his closed eye lids. Barnabas heard the rush of boots beating against the floor scuffling in a way. The influx of orders being exchanged were at first confusing to Barnabas’s ears. Barnabas heard what sounded to be phasers burning away at the binds around his ankles and wrists.

“Janeway to Voyager, two to beam up!” Adrian shouted.


	9. Making a decision

Treylane was wondering about on his own business: messing with civilizations, having fun, and doing what he did best.

When he noticed a particular exchange being done.

Two individuals were being sent through across realities and dimensions through two doorways.

The first he recognized as his father's favorite toy, Jean-Luc Picard of the  _Enterprise D._

The second he recognized as one of his play toys,  Doctor Sonny Degrias of the _Enterprise-Z._

Picard seemed to stop in the passageway that was weakening staring at a frame.

Sonny made it safe to his reality.

_Move your feet, human_! Treylane thought in frustration.

But the floor beneath Picard fell.

And then Picard was falling through various realities.

_Damn it,_ Treylane thought, _You idiot._

Treylane sighed.

_My father is going to hate me if I let him fall through the portal of reality forever_ , Treylane  reasoned, _or if Picard is lost for eternity. Eternity can change a man greatly. Hell, Picard might come out with a bitter hate against my father and plot vengeance that wouldn't be worth his time and energy. . . I am so not considering it._ But yet, Treylane was considering that idea. How else would Picard be aware it was the Q's fault? The Q were not involved. Losing a version of Picard for Picard's version of Treylane's father would possibly make him distance himself and be a little more wary of befriending any mere short life spanned organisms. Then again his father was a very lonely man who had almost zilch friends outside the continuum. _To hell with it,I am saving his time!_

Some would refer to Treylane's father as 'Q, the explorer' or 'Q, the teacher', 'Q, the liar', 'Q, the father' while he was a mix of all.

Treylane  swooped around the falling Picard then got close enough to transport him back into his reality.

Treylane could see the events prior that of a very guilty Sonny sitting in a chair, elbow on his knee, and one hand cupping the side of his face.

_Ah, pity the man who wants to go home_ , Treylane thought.

_You never pitied me,_ Andrew remarked appearing alongside Treylane's floating ball like figure.

_That's because you were already home, Andy_ , Treylane replied. 

_Oh, as if!_ , Andrew argued back as his energy grew brighter, _One night my powers manifested and then  I am whisked into a realm I know nothing about! Amanda helped me understand the dangers of being a proto-Q and sticking around showing what I have become! You just tossed me into the continuum like a slab of meat without much explanation!_

_Like you deserved one!_ ,Treylane snapped back.

_You are not the one who has been the subject to a family mystery,_ Andrew retorted.

Treylane grunted.

_Not my problem you were born in the wrong time_ , Treylane replied.

_Hey, but I am a Q now_ , Andrew argued back, _tell me were the continuum part of the reason Q left?_

There was silence from Treylane.

_. . . Trelane?_ , Andrew asked curious. 

_Yes,_ Treylane replied, _they were._

_How much?,_ Andrew asked.

_All of it,_ Treylane had lowered his voic _e, starting from the unexpected attack. They were heavily involved instigating it._

Andrew vanished from Treylane's side.

"I told them it was a bad idea."Treylane muttered to no one in particular.


	10. Recovery

_Barnabas. . ._

Barnabas could feel a steaming hot sensation carried through his optical nerves. Could he still be in confinement? Could he still be in the hands of his captors? What happened? He had been out most of the time  recovering from that near-fatal injury.  _Barnabas. . ._ Barnabas recognized the voice as Sonny's.  It was Sonny. Things were okay. The panic and fear were replaced by relief.

_Sonny?_

"The captain is awake!" Sonny said.

He heard voices.

_Why can't I speak?_

"Captain, your voice box. . ." Stern started.

_Yes, what about it,Miss Stern?_

"It was destroyed due to the pain collar." Sonny said.

_Are you telling me I lost my voice?_

"Yes, Captain." Stern said.

"Captain, it was the collective efforts of Adrian and his former Chief Security Rygork that you are still alive." B-4 said.

_Speaking of being alive. . . I heard Treylane._

"But Treylane hasn't popped up since the Tribble crisis." Strong said.

_I am well aware of that. I believe he . . . Had a hand in my survival._

"Captain. . ." B-4 started.

Barnabas could have said, " _Yes, Number One?"_

"Rygork evolved. Which means one day we will see Q again." B-4 said.

_What else did I lose, Doctor?_

"Your ears. . ." Sonny started.  "I am sorry, there's nothing I can do. You are going to lose your hearing. It'll take a miracle for your ears to be back in order."

 


	11. Putting certain events to motion

The idea of communicating from now on through telepathic thoughts to his crew wasn't really pleasing to Barnabas. Half of his crew were holoprograms and one android. They did not have minds to think, contemplate, and thoroughly decide even though they have processors. His hearing was lost the next day. One week without hearing. Now, communicating with everyone but his first officer and security officer was not an self image Barnabas wanted to keep. So he had his own way of making sure he was speaking right by telepathically asking those nearby hearing in the conversation. The most irritating aspect of the whole ordeal is that telepathic communicating is not part of the work force.

_Captain, it seems your telepathic powers were stunted because you never used them_ , Sonny explained, _now it took you awhile to fully use them the way you could. Your Psi development was made rapid due to your captivity and current needs._

_My current needs are to my crew_ , Barnabas replied, _I otherwise feel uncomfortable communicating this way. I grew up in a household who refused to communicate through  thought but only through verbal. Apparently I was the only one raised in a household like that._

Barnabas returned his eyes to the holopad.

_Barnabas_ , Sonny replied, _read the telepathic rules and regulations as instructed by Star Fleet._

The holopad had all the regulations regarding telepathic powers being used on the job. It explicity states that one should not abuse it to read the mind (or communicate telepathically with them) of other races who do not like telepathy to be used day to day basis. It had to be respected. There were many other rules to it on the holopad.  But the only topic Barnabas could think about were the psi-less ones.

Barnabas tapped on his combadge.

"B-4, my ready room. Barnabas out."

Barnabas reached to a decision, one that might affect everyone aboard the _Enterprise Z_.

Fifteen minutes later, B-4 came into Barnabas's room.

"Captain?" B-4 said.

"Sit down, please."

"Yes, captain," B-4 said, sitting down into the chair in front of the desk. "Is this regarding my request for transfer?"

Barnabas had read the android's lips.

"Request for transfer. . ." Barnabas said, as though he had been unaware of the request.  "Denied."

"Captain?" B-4 said, alarmed.

"I am breaking the rules by telepathically speaking to my crew," Barnabas said, leaning back into his chair. "So I will be leaving Star Fleet and decided to help out on the resistance against the pure Cardassian campaign. You are more capable of speaking to the crew and hearing. B-4, losing you? That would be losing the heart of the crew. You are the best First Officer I ever had. . . and met. You try to outshine your brother," Barnabas leaned forward with his hands in a ball on the table. "But you know what? I know you are different. You are a different person who has the qualities to lead this ship into the unknown. I can very well see you in the captain's chair."

B-4 was at first speechless.

"But. . . I can't communicate telepathically." B-4 said.

"So what about it? You don't need it. You need your skills, verbal communication, and you are . . . lets say. . . extraordinary," Barnabas said. "Let's keep it not let this sadden your day because today is my last day of being in Star Fleet. I expect you to be prepared for the captaincy." The Cardassian-Romulan leaned back into his chair. "Don't let your disadvantages weaken you, B-4. You have the crew behind your back already."

"The crew isn't complete without you." B-4 said. 

Barnabas smiled.

"Far as  I am concerned, Number One,"  Barnabas said. "It is complete. You are dismissed. "

"Captain." B-4 said, with a nod then he exited the room.

Barnabas, on his day of being a captain, decided to read the rules before making Star Fleet aware.


	12. Seeking for advice

"Lieutenant Worf; era, _Enterprise D_." B-4 said.

"Simulation has been set up." The computer replied.

The doors opened, and as soon as B-4 entered he was dressed up in the late uniform used in the 2360's. He entered into what seemed to be the hallway. Puzzled, B-4 looked around. Why the hallway? It puzzled the android. He didn't understand why the hall at all. So he walked and walked until he came to Ten Forward.  Worf was at the table alongside what seemed to be Geordi sharing a discussion. 

"You need more confidence," Worf said. "A woman likes their confident counterparts."

Geordi sighed.

"It is quite worrying really," Geordi said. "I could screw up on it, like royally."

B-4 stopped. 

He realized 'when' the simulation had decided to set up.

"How convenient." B-4 muttered to himself.

B-4 sat down alongside the three. 

"I trust you are having a time of your life?" B-4 said.

"This is the most confident-less man I ever met," Worf said. "Grow a backbone for the women."

B-4 fought back a snicker.

Geordi sulked.

"Who would want a perfectionist to date?" Geordi said, putting his forehead on the table.

"Plenty of women," B-4 said. "Einstein's wife wouldn't have married him if it wasn't for his characteristics and stuck around for so long."

"19 years and 17 years,"  Geordi said. "Not helping,Data."

"Mr Worf," B-4 said. "If I were to date a woman, should I send messages or holoprograms if it is a off-distance relationship?"

Geordi raised his head up  apparently shocked by the words coming out of B-4's mouth.

"It depends on the kind of relationship you share," Worf said. "Back in the day male Klingons used to read poetry to their female counterparts who threw furniture back at them. Some even sent birds to send messages across on paper. These days the relationship, depending on how 'intimate' it is, they share holoprograms."

"Data, you got a girlfriend?" Geordi said.

"Potentially," B-4 said. "I am unsure whether or not I want to pursue this relationship off-distance."

"Data, this is the Enterprise you are on, anything is possible!" Geordi said.

"Then why do you not share the same attitude toward asking a woman out?"   Worf asked.

B-4 smiled. 

"Thank you," B-4 said. "I have figured out my decision. Computer. End Program."

B-4 then walked out of the holodeck with the decision of carrying out the relationship through holoprograms.

And one of them will be Klingon Poetry.

Rosie had mentioned being interested in Klingon culture.


	13. Attempting to sleep

Clair was a biologist living with her husband, Adrian P Janeway, aboard the _Voyager_. Adrian was turned to his side in the bed trying to figure how to break the news to her. He sat upright careful to not wake her up. He went through his hair with a low sigh. Why did he have to be put into this position? He didn't like to be in the middle of everything even when he was the captain of the USS Voyager. He was lucky to have been assigned on it after serving five years aboard the _USS Chalice_ as the first officer.

What was on Janeway's mind on the first night without Q?

What was she thinking?

Was she busy thinking how to break it to the Federation that she had sex with Q upon returning?

Did she have night after night a difficult choice to tell her son who his father is?

Did she sleepless nights after Q left?

Did Janeway believe she heard Q when she did not for years afterwards?

How does he break the news to his wife regarding his sexuality? News like that would shatter Clair. He was thinking about her rather than himself. Did he care too much about Clair? Yes, he frankly did. Clair and Adrian wore protection when they engaged in sex. It was still arousing and satisfying. They were partners with benefits. Living a lie with someone he did care about greatly?  That would break Clair if she discovered that for six years in their marriage Adrian has walked around with the knowledge. It would be the greatest bolt in her heart and the nail in the coffin for their relationship as a couple.

Adrian saw a floating white ball at the front of the bed.

"Rygork." Adrian said.

The ball floated over to Adrian then came to his side. 

"Tell her." Came Rygork's voice.

"But it would break her." Adrian whispered.

"I am not asking you to divorce her," Rygork said. "I am telling you to be honest with yourself."

Adrian felt a warm hand caress his cheek.

"Ry . . ." Adrian said.

"I will be waiting for you."  Rygork said.

And the ball vanished into the darkness.

"Ry. . ." Adrian said.

With that, Adrian decided to tell the truth in the morning. He got out of bed, took a spare blanket along with a pillow, and went to sleep on the couch.  He came to a choice in the relationship he shared with Clair. If he wanted to be free of any heavy guilt after the change then he had to let it go. Let go all the secrets. Let it all go. Adrian fell asleep on the couch with his blanket wrapped all around him.


	14. Tracking down your captor

**. . . August 5th . . .  
**

**. . . 2999. . .**

Even though Barnabas could not hear, he could still have dreams with sound in them. He had nightmares that Karon was to do him harm worse than losing his hearing.  Losing his friends was his nightmare. In Star Fleet Barnabas was a valuable asset and he had all attention on him when getting on the bridge. He was someone important. Out of Star Fleet he was just a Cardassian-Romulan Half-Breed. He was not very important, least that can be said. Barnabas joined the half-breed campaign to prevent the pure breeds from getting what they want. Barnabas had been communicating telepathically through those he had been familiar to, acquainted to, and he stopped speaking all together. He could bend a spoon into two, send a fully grown man flying out of the window (Which was. . . Really entertaining) with just one thought, see events from the past, levitating,and clairvoyance was among them. He could read their auras.

_We found him, sir!_  
  
The root of all problems were to end here for the Cardassian Half-Breeds.

Barnabas took out his dagger.

_It is time to show who has the power now_ , Barnabas thought.

Barnabas closed his eyes focusing on Karon and imagined the dagger stabbing into the Cardassian's chest. He could feel he was there. He could feel a dark sensation glowing off the body of Karon, pure dark motives and a heart stained by sin. Technically Barnabas was about to do a sin but let's not get ahead of ourselves in the name of religion. Barnabas was concerned about any other Cardassian half-breeds sticking around him. They could be his undoing. They could suggest he go to Cardassia Seven (Which he hasn't visited in months) for a 'well deserved vacation'. In fact the idea of going to Cardassia Seven terrified him.

_Hello Karon_ , Barnabas thought, _remember me?_

_You should be dead!,_ Karon thought back.

Barnabas could feel Karon's deeply troubled shock.

_This is for the Cardassian Half-Breeds you murdered!_

Barnabas struck forth with enough force stabbing right into the Cardassian's  chest. 

Next second he was back in the chair and reopened his light green eyes.

In fact Barnabas didn't HAVE ears.

His ears were surgically removed to prevent any infection.

The campaign lead Barnabas to make a treaty with the Romulons regarding any Cardassian-Romulon half-breeds to have their six covered. It was a choice Barnabas did not like for the least. They used to be his enemies aboard the Enterprise-Z. He made a name for himself out of Star Fleet staying far away as he could from any Star Fleet vessel.

_Fire at them_ , Barnabas thought, _leave no survivors_.

They were going after a escape starship model made to accommodate a small group to do the basic functions of the ship that was less than a thousand but surely in the hundreds range. 

_Yes, sir._

 


	15. The run down

**. . . August 6th. . .**

**. . .Briefing room. .9:38 AM. . .  
**

_Captain, it seems we are lost in deep space. I believe we are out of the Pinwheel Galaxy._

_We've gone that far?_ , Barnabas asked with a puzzled expression.

 _Yes, we have,_ Bryan Wellis replied (who is the medical professional of the group).

He had been given a new voice box due to the loss of his previous version. It sounded . . . Unlike Barnabas, too high pitched. He sounded like a teenager going through puberty!  Another reason why he stuck to telepathy. He was very dependent on it.  He could sense the emptiness in the room, the large void made by Karon's destroyed vessel, and a complete lack of any plans were present.

 _We're in the Sombrero Galaxy,_ George Reinwald replied.

Reinwald held the conn and T'ella held the Ops position. 

Barnabas sighed.

 _It has been a honor serving with you_ , Barnabas related.

 _No_ , Wellis shook his hand from side to side, _the honor is ours_.

T'ella, a Vulcan, nodded.

 _Captain, it may seem we are stranded in the middle of no where because of our. . . miscalculated mistake. . ._ . T'ella thought. . . _But I know  a contact from the PinWheel galaxy who can tow us_.

Wellis stood up.

 _By the time they get here,_ **WE WILL BE DEAD!** Wellis exclaimed letting everyone feel his anger and frustration at such a stupid idea.

 _It is my fault we lost life support_ , Barnabas told Wellis as he stood up putting one hand on the man's shoulder, _you all go in the pods._

 _. . .James. . ._ Wellis thought.

 _My pod malfunctioned a long time ago,_ Barnabas reasoned, _perhaps I was spared to ensure the lives of others._

 _Damn you_ , Wellis thought, _Even out of Star Fleet you care about the crew behind you_.

 _You call me 'Captain',_ Barnabas thought, _as captain I am responsible for all of you_.

T'ella stood up.

 _But Captain that would mean you'll suffocate!_ , T'ella reminded Barnabas, _We have enough life support for two weeks!_

Barnabas nodded, knowingly.

 _I am well aware of it_ , Barnabas replied.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**. . . August 7th. . .**

**. . .The Bridge. .9:38 AM. . .**

He had been alone for hours. First day without a crew. The ship was put in auto-pilot. They couldn't move the starship a inch through space because the warp engines had had been totally destroyed during the attack with Karon. Christi had not been aboard the vessel as she was somewhere else in the universe. Where she was? No one knew.  Barnabas sat in the captain's chair in the empty bridge. Since there was silence in the room Barnabas found himself missing the Enterprise-Z. He missed his friends. He missed the holoprograms.

"Computer, begin emergency distress signal." Barnabas said.

"Video required."

"Begin automatic taping. Stop on my signal."

''Yes,Captain Barnabas."

There was a red light coming from the top of the screen.

"This is Captain Barnabas of The Chase," Barnabas said. "We were . . . On the chase. . .On the tail of the root of the Cardassian Half breed problems. Before decommissioning of the enemy vessel we were given fatal blows to our warp engine and life support. By the time you'll get here the only ones who'll be alive will be my former crew. If . . ." He sighed. "If they are brought up on charges for unlawfully eliminating a life then my name must be part of it. My apologies to those who will be hurt  by what happens to my name. I am sorry, friends. End message."

Barnabas heard a slow clap.

"That is so not what I meant by being human," He heard Treylane's voice.  "But bravo for your performance!"

Barnabas looked in the direction of Treylane's voice.

 **GET**. **OFF**. **MY**. **BRIDGE!**

"Can we just talk verbally?"

 **GET**. **YOUR**. **DAMN**. **FEET**. **OFF**. **MY**. **BRIDGE!**

"Oh Cardassian," Treylane said, swinging his stick. "I am here to tell you I tinkered with your message and showed a different you on the screen giving the gist of the message. Except for those charges that you mentioned," He pointed the stick at  Barnabas's face. "You are so stubborn to keeping on the same track that you make a bunch of timelines!"He lowered the walking stick. "Which honestly is a chore getting rid of those unnecessary weeds."

 **GET**. **OFF**. **MY**. **BRIDGE**.

Treylane folded his arms with a frown.

"Why are you so mad at me?" Treylane asked.

 **GET**. **OFF.** **MY**. **BRIDGE**.

Treylane unfolded his arms, feeling annoyed.

"I don't understand you over that shouting," Treylane said, plugging in his ears. "Nah, nah,nah I can't hear you!"

Barnabas stood up with hands balled up into a fist.

_EAT THIS!_

Barnabas punched Treylane at the face knocking down the very much still young god to the floor covering his nose.

"Ow!" Treylane whined. "You  have changed for the worse, Jim."

 _I have changed for the better_ , Barnabas replied.

Treylane frowned wiping away his blood making it vanish in thin air.

"Throwing a temper tantrum is getting you no where," Treylane said. "You are forcing me to make a very difficult decision."

 _And what decision is that?_ Barnabas asked.

 _Making you the one and only prime James Dean Barnabas,_ Treylane replied, _I will destroy every other timeline so you can be dead! Is that what you want? To die? You are too young to die_!

_I am thirty-five, that is a old age._

_No matter, THAT IS. WAY. TOO. YOUNG!_

_Like you know anything about mercy!_

Treylane grew a grim expression as he approached the captain.

"I could have killed you the first time we met nine years ago," Treylane said. "But I didn't. Instead I spared you and your crew of two thousand six hundred thirty-nine people! I at least deserve that credit!" He shook his fist. "Do you know how hard it is to place the right kind of game and NOT get in trouble because of it? Merci! I was taught by my mother that if I wanted my toys to stick around I had to give them the benefit of a doubt, chances, and mercy. It all part of being what I am!"

Barnabas frowned.

"Then give me a painless death," Barnabas replied. "GIVE ME MERCY!"

Treylane rubbed his forehead walking around the Romulan-Cardassian.

"That is not how it works," Treylane said. "Your fate. . . reads. . . you are not to die."

"Dying is natural." Barnabas said.

"For you, it is not," Treylane said, coming to a stop. "Read my aura and tell me if I am telling you the truth, Jim."

Barnabas closed his eyes.

He focused long and hard until he could sense a tinge of innocent, pure energy at his finger tips, and a powerful blaze made itself known in the captain's mind.

"No." Barnabas said.

Barnabas opened his eyes to see Treylane had vanished into thin air. 

There he was, left alone again, on the bridge.


	16. Missing someone

**. . . August 7th. . . 2999 . . .**

"I miss him too."

B-4's eyes were serving as lights guiding the group into the abandoned starship.

"Miss who, Doctor?" B-4 said.

"You know damn well who I am talking about." Sonny said

"Oh . . . Barnabas," B-4 said, in a low voice. "I have made my peace with it."

Sonny frowned taking B-4 by the shoulder.

"You know as well I do that you are not," Sonny said.  "You don't have to try acting like the captain. Act like you do in the role."

"I have been avoiding this role for four hundred ten years," B-4 said. "All I ever wanted to be was a explorer."

"Explorer or not," Sonny said, letting go of the android's shoulder. "You are our captain."

Sure B-4 had  Data's memories but he chose to keep them in a secret safe in his infinite processor and locked under a secret passcode. Well, really, he chose to ignore them.  B-4 continued to lead the way with security and Sonny. They had masks on to prevent any kind of radiation from entering their body through the skin, nose, mouth, and any form of contact. Sonny  went to the side of a body laid under what seemed to be a pillar from out of the wall support. Sonny placed two fingers under the man's chin then turned his head toward B-4's direction.

"He is dead, B-4." Sonny said.

"Hopefully we will find the captain of this vessel. . ." B-4 said. "Spread out. Comm me will you find any sign of life."

"Yes sir," Went the other security members.

B-4 had been forced to shut down Chief Security's program a month after Barnabas's departure. It turned around that his program in responding to particular had favored Barnabas in a way. Serving under  Captain Barnabas for so long could be the natural reason since he was around the holoprogram for so long. It pained the android to deactivate his friend. In a way B-4 killed his friend but he did keep Security's holoprogram mobile device in close approximate distance. The day when B-4 would come across Barnabas and he would be in a tight situation that had no way out at first situation analysis. The day B-4 would be shut down, apparently, for good.

B-4 understood how Data felt when he deactivated Lore for the last time.

B-4 tried to not get too close to people.

But apparently that failed and he round up getting hurt anyhow.

_It is part of being human_ , Data would say, _people need to feel to fully experience living_.

And Lore, most likely, would say: _Oh stop whining_.

B-4 entered into the bridge where there lay unresponsive bodies all over the place with Sonny with a bad stench. B-4's face turns into a disgusted and horrified kind of one at the sight. The captain of the ship had died long ago probably in the ensuing fight that lead to the death of all bridge officers. B-4 turned away visibly shaken by the sight of various dead decomposing bodies. Sonny could only say, "Dead, all dead." Sonny took  B-4 by the arm then back straight into the turbo lift.

The doors closed behind the two.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The doors opened for Treylane as he leaned against the side of the wall contemplating about a matter.

To push or not to push Barnaba's cells into cell mutation.

To . . .Evolve. . . As one can put it.

Barnabas posed a challenge, a entertaining challenge to see how he reacted and participated in certain events put into motion by Treylane. It was Amanda's idea that he go create his next set of play toys. Treylane couldn't always play in the past. It would get boring, Amanda reasoned, so boring and repetitive. The way she put it made complete sense. So Treylane went further into the timeline and picked a descendant of his father's Enterprise. Now alerting his toy of his impending change suddenly could be alarming. It could change his entire belief. Barnabas, otherwise, could refuse to believe it. Treylane wanted to have fun. To prod and instigate amusing matters leading to fun.

But he is saving that for whenever his father decides to return.

Treylane looked up to see he had popped up in a turbo lift in the Enterprise D (Or at least one of the versions) where in the lone dimly lit corridor with yellow wallpaper there two figures along the wall. Treylane saw Kathryn Janeway, in Captain uniform from the late 2360's, pinned against the wall by his father and they were kissing. Treylane's face turned into that of disgust. Then it turned into shock. How did he diverge timelines? He just DID NOT do that! He saw their kiss be stopped with a brief smile shared between the two. Treylane could hear his father's thoughts being: _Why Kathy is a lovely kisser_. Janeway's thoughts? _Why didn't we do this earlier when we had the chance?_ Preferably Treylane wouldn't want to be around when his father is in the process of wooing a human.

**OR KISSING WITH ONE FOR THAT MATTER!**

Treylane vanished into a white flash.

Q looked over to see the doors closing with a raised eyebrow. 

"What are you looking at?" Janeway asked. 

Q lowered his brow then turned his head toward Janeway.

"I thought I saw a pussy cat." Q said, as Janeway wrapped her arms around his neck.

Janeway had a short laugh, amused, by the reply.

"Oh Q." Janeway said.

The two resumed into their addicting lovely kiss.

"Q?" Janeway said, in between the kisses.

Janeway had four pips on the collar.

"Yes?" Q asked.

"Can we take this into my quarters?" Janeway asked.

"Nobody is going down to a level that does not exist, Kathy."  Q said, right as he was kissing along her neck.

Janeway's eyes widened.

"Don't tell me this is Deck 13." Janeway said.

Q craned his head back tilting it to the side curiously.

"Deck 43,a totally nonexistant deck. Are you thinking of hotels? I can take you to a hotel without anyone knowing and return you. Five starred hotel.  Fantastic service." Q said, holding his fingers. "They also have hot tubs with turbo jets, free  massages, a splendid view of Paris or any land mark you want, and simply just telling you about it wouldn't give it justice! We Q pride ourselves in keeping it secret from all of the other races. . . Well. . . We try but it moves so randomly in time and space to planet to planet during a time interval."

"Swear to me that time will not pass." Janeway said.

Q smirked.

"Have I ever took you away from your ship and returned you three days later?"  Q asked.

"No." Janeway said

"Then I have nothing to swear to because I always bring you back while allowing time not to pass," Q said, wrapping his arms around her neck on her shoulders. "Simple laws of the universe for a new-Q."

"You have to tell me those rules, Q."  Janeway said.

"Ah, you have finite memory but not infinite memory like Data," Q said. "You'll have to be a Q for that."

"I have a really good memory." Janeway said.

"One day, perhaps, one day. . ." Q said. "So AAAA+++ hotel or your luxurious quarters?"

"No floor thirteen." Janeway said.

"You are terrified by the thirteenth floor. . . I wonder why." Q said.

Janeway's face faltered.

"Q,  no--"

And they vanished in a white flash.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**. . . August 15th. . . 2999 . . .**

A white flash blinded Barnabas's eyes.

He saw unusual strange alien beings with folds along their ears, short hair, and blue skin with white dots.

He saw what appeared to be the shape of a weapon along a belt loop. Their eyes were a shade of red that could be only seen from  a bloody TV series. One of the old TV series ripped out of the 21st century can give a good idea what everyone was thinking of about the supernatural in their times.  The attire of the ones awakening him were different but still close enough to call them attire. They had on helmets with red dots coming from the top.  They raised and lowered what seemed to be a flashlight from the 21st century in his direction.

He was in the middle of no where.

And someone just found him.

It terrified Barnabas.

He had been losing more oxygen due to a extended leak in the life support systems.

He was barely hanging on and just breathing was taking it all away.

He didn't have two weeks to live!

_Hell  . . . Hello?_ , Barnabas thought.

The half-breed had ONE day to live if he stayed aboard the ship.

Barnabas felt  a sharp feeling travel from his shoulder and just like that he was out.


	17. A change of force

**. . . August 15th. . . 2999 . . .**

**. . . Sombrero galaxy. . .  
**

The crew of the _change_ were left aboard the ship in the pods. Barnabas did not know that. He knew nothing of the matter. His eyes struggled to open to where he saw a bright light blinding his eyes. Barnabas fell over off what he had been on a bed. His hands landed first on the ground, his elbows bend, and his knees were the second part of the body that landed asides to the middle of the leg. His eyesight started to clear up. A gray surface stared right back at the young captain. Barnabas shook his head  seeing the white color vanish so clearly after a couple minutes.

Barnabas  opened a pocket then took out a triangle device with the Star Fleet Logo.

It read Security Program 2.97.

The young captain sighed, relieved.

"Good to have one friend of mine still around. . ." Barnabas said. "For now."

He kept it for safe keeping.

Barnabas put the item into his pocket  and snapped the pocket close.

_Hello?_ , Barnabas thought approaching the door.

They had to speak telepathically, they just had to. Barnabas refused to speak with the voice of a teenager. In fact he hated it. He only talked to himself to make him seem not alone.  It was one of the few ways he could comfort himself. He saw a square hole in the door that displayed four bars that were so together a hand wouldn't make it through.  Barnabas grabbed at the bars. He applied his feet on the metal door then tugged at it using all of his strength. Obviously it strained his fingers to the point that he fell back. His back met the ground first.

He could see what they were saying.

One of his proud achievements without ears.

They were speaking in  Spanish far as he could tell.

"What must we do with this terra?"

"He is not a terra.  He is a Romulassian."

"Since when did Cardassians and Romulans mate?"

"Since Romulans encouraged them to become peaceful and have a democracy related empire."

"This one has a five percent of human DNA."

"And has the internal organ placement of a Romulan."

"Are the internal organ placement a lot like the Vulcans?"

"Yes."

"Ah."

"But Romulan's lack any super strength."

_Hello?_ , Barnabas thought.

"I wonder why this one isn't speaking."

"He is a mix of both species, so that makes him mute and therefor a terra."

"Terra's look nothing like Romulassian's."

_HELLO!,_ Barnabas thought.

"This one must have a broken vocal cords."

"Or born mute."

"Let's see how he deals with pain."

"OH YES!"

The doors opened.

The first thing on Barnabas's mind was, _Shit, they are not telepathic._ Second thing on his mind was _, I got to get off this ship and back to the crew._ The third thing on his mind was _,  I need a space suit to get on aboard._ Due to realizing the state of mind he was in when he had been found.  True he was more of a fighter when left to the corner of the room with threatening people in front of him. So the first convenient move was to deliver a punch into the stomach  of the second being then punch under the jaw of the first smacking him against the wall.

Barnabas fled down the hall in the opposite direction.

"Fiesty, eh?"  Came the first.

Barnabas knew Spanish but for the sake of his life he could not speak it, sadly.

Barnabas had no idea what they were.

He could hear the sounds of bootsteps headed his direction. He looked over his shoulder to see that were a couple others on his damn tail! He turned his head away running even faster than he was. He had all the power in the universe and here he is running from danger! He looked toward the walls thinking 'why not slam them against the wall to hinder them?'. He heard the sound of bodies striking the wall. But they kept coming for him. Barnabas fought back a smirk.

"GET HIM!"

"We need him!"

He fled right into a very not-so-much secure room then used his phaser to seal it shut. At least for the time being. Barnabas took out the Holoprogram from his pocket then turned on the device and placed it on the floor. The triangle device floated up and up until it were six foot six where a figure is outlined in blue taking on the visible clear outlines of a figure. The outlines of scales could be seen along the long slopey and slender neck. The face became familiar appealing with those pair of blue eyes, thin dark eyebrows, small nose, and square chin.  The figure took on a Cardassian appearance.

"What is your emergency?" Cardassian Security said.

"I need help!" Barnabas said. 

Cardassian Security looked at Barnabas oddly then scanned him.

"Sir?" Cardassian Security said. "What happened to your voice?"

"Security, I said I NEED HELP!" Barnabas said, grabbing the holoprogram by the shoulders. "Give me your best advice to evade being captured and possibly even being tested upon by unknown species in the Somebrero galaxy."

Cardassian Security looked over to see they were in the transporter room.

"Sir," Cardassian Security said, turning his attention back to the captain. "I have an idea. But you'll be a pattern."

Barnabas sighed taking his hands off the holoprogram's shoulders.

"Anything  to stay out of their hands." Barnabas said.

Barnabas walked over to the transporter and got on aboard.

"It will last for five days," Cardassian Security said, coming over to the console. "Five days and then you are deleted."

"Deleted. . ." Barnabas said. "It makes me sound like a computer program."

"The dangers of being deleted is very real to me," Cardassian Security said. "I have never used the transporter before. . . I should have been programmed for this." He looked at it oddly. "Hm. . . This is one from the 23rd century. It used to be on vessels such as . . ." Cardassian Security pressed random buttons. "Captain, if this mission we're on--"

"I am not your captain," Barnabas said. "Current captain of the USS _Enterprise Z_ is B-4. Do _not_ come for me."

"But Captain!" Cardassian Security said.

"I am a captain of a ship, but I am no captain without my ears!" Barnabas said, pointing to his ears. "Don't you see?" He uncovered the area where he had lost his ears. "See now?" Cardassian Security stood there in shock seeing not a sign of ears. "I am deaf. I can read lips. This isn't my voice. Do not reactivate yourself, Chief."

"You are not my captain." Cardassian Security said.

"That's an order!"

"But you are not my captain," Cardassian Security said. "And you are not in uniform. . ." Cardassian Security turned on the machine turning Barnabas into pattern. "I will come back for you, Barnabas, if it costs my matrix."

The group burst through the door right as Barnabas materialized into mere 'patterns' or energy.

The group aimed their phasers at the Cardassian Security.

"Where did you send him!"

"No where."

"Liar!"

They fired repeatedly at the holoprogram only to cause no ill-effect until one struck the holodevice shattering the connection and destroying  Cardassian Security all together.


	18. A holoprogram's mission

**. . . August 15th. . . 2999 . . .**

**. . . Enterprise-Z. . .**

The holodevice activated on its own in the holoroom placed there by B-4. It was night duty for the _Enterprise-Z_ crew. B-4 had long ago achieved the ability to sleep four hundred plus years ago. The holodevice floated up in mid-air until it became six foot two where a blue light emitted taking on the characteristics of a Romulan. The Romulan ears were less pointy than the Vulcans, he had dark brown hair, square jaw, a 'v' shape on his forehead, and sharp shoulders. Centuries ago they had soft rounded shoulders at the sides. A pair of blue eyes appeared followed by the appearance.

Chief Security loosend his fist.

"Barnabas."  Chief Security said.

Chief Security went over to the table where there are rows and rows of holodevices stacked and organized. Chief  Security saw slits in the wall big enough to be transferred all over the ship when needed. That is the perk of having holodevices connected to the starship. He fumbled through the list of holodevices using his fingers. It was quite easy to see in the dark when he has done it numerous times before.  He had enough experience searching in the dark. Sometimes his captain was stubborn. Very stubborn. It is what made him  a perfect captain. His entire programming was designed around the familiarity of the captain.

He picked up a Emergency Medical Holoprogram II, Engineering holoprogram, Security Holoprogram 2.99, Security Holoprogram 3.00,and and Navigational holoprogram. Chief Security had installed emergency command program into his device in any case that the Enteprise Z had lost almost all her senior officers.

The holoprogram made his way down the hallway into the turbo lift.

"Location?" The computer asked. 

"Starship bay."  Chief Security said. 

"Playing:  Thunder by Leona Lewis."  The computer said. 

The doors closed on Chief Security.


	19. He stole a mini-starship

He turned on the packets of holoprograms on the bridge. This bridge wasn't the _Enterprise_. Frankly he did not steal one engineering holoprogram but four in fact and numerous others. This bridge was a lot like a rounded one with the important bridge members at a console handling the problems. He activated the navigator holoprogram, the con holoprogram,and Chief Security himself fulfilled three roles. He had Franky, a Engineer Holoprogram, stationed in the medical bay with Emergency Medical Holoprogram's device.

"Ready to launch, Chief." The Navigator Holoprogram said.

The Navigator holoprogram was at the Flight Controller station.

"Exit the Enterprise-Z."  Chief Security said.

"Yes, Chief." Navigator said.

The _Charger_ charged out of the starship bay out into open space. The cloaking device was turned on covering it from the view of the _Enterprise Z_. The cloaking device is installed into every kind of starship model but finding one is another story. It is quite difficult due to their option of no energy being radiated off. No sound. No communication being detected. The energy signature became cloaked blocking chances of being spotted. This is just a mini-starship vessel being a rescue model. It had red wall paper, dark gray floor, and colorful buttons. Chief  Security gave a energy GPS destination reading letting it pass to the navigator then he pressed a button on the side of the arm rest that allowed all holoprograms aboard to spring to life and then he hit the announcement button on the side.

"This is acting captain Security," Chief Security said. "We are headed our way to retrieve former Captain  Barnabas. I have stolen a starship, and very well aware of the consequences that it means for myself, but I have recently  been reactivated in another galaxy at the behest of Barnabas. I have brought you all, my . . . siblings, to do what possibly might spell the end of our programs.  Now you might be angry at me for abducting you all,my . . . brothers and sisters. . ." He looked over to the screen indicating their estimate time of arrival. "And you have every right to be. I swear, one way or another, this mission will be a success."

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**. . . August 18th. . . 2999 . . .**

**. . . Enterprise-Z. . .**

When B-4 wasn't at the bridge then he would be in his quarters.  When B-4 wasn't in his quarters he would be typically seen in the game room having fun with other crew members. When B-4 wasn't at the game room then some might find him in the cafeteria bar. If he wasn't in the cafeteria bar he would either be seen aimlessly walking down the corridor, engaging in  a recreational activity in the holodeck, or at his ready room reading some holopadds.

"Chief Medical Officer Sonny  Degrias would like to enter." The computer said.

"Allow." B-4 said, leaning back in his chair drinking artificial black coffee.

Sonny entered the large and wide ready room.

"Captain," Sonny said. "We're missing a couple holoprograms."

B-4 raised a eyebrow leaning forward.

"Missing?" B-4 said. "We recently count them and they are all accounted for."

Sonny put a triangle device into a slit into the table.

In a blue light in miniature figure size appeared a band.

_When the days are cold_

_And the cards all fold_

_And the saints we see_

_Are all made of gold_

B-4 listened intently.

_When your dreams all fail_

_And the ones we hail_

_Are the worst of all_

_And the blood’s run stale_

B-4 looked toward Sonny.

_I wanna hide the truth_

_I wanna shelter you_

_But with the beast inside_

_There’s nowhere we can hide. . ._

"I get the point,"  B-4 said, taking the device out. "Where did you get this?"

"It came up instead of Charlie,"  Sonny said. "It took me an hour to realize what song and band this was from!" He gestured over to the device in B-4's hand. "You got to investigate this, Captain! I have a feeling something wrong is going on below our noses."

B-4 nodded.

"I will get to it," B-4 said, handing it back to Sonny.  "Rest assured."

Sonny sighed, relieved.

"I just had to tell someone . . ." Sonny said. "Thanks for listening."

Sonny exited the room.

Sonny was a man who got curious and wanted answers. A reasonable reason why he was all over it for an hour. He likely searched the lyrics through the intergalactic database. There were trillions and trillions of songs on the database. How did Sonny find that in a hour? Sonny was a intelligent man. He probably took it thoroughly forty-two minutes in and decided to take short cuts to get the answer. B-4 would not be surprised if it actually happened. B-4 paused contemplating in his processor on a possibility. A singular possibility.

"B-4 to Holoprogram room."

"This is Holoprogram Security 1.99," 1.99 said. "What is it, Captain?"

"Is Holoprogram 2.97's holodevice on the table?"

"Yes sir."

"Turn it on."

And then B-4 heard a low but musical female voice come over.

_I know you're gonna be mad,_

_When I gotta do what I gotta do,_

_Some day I hope you understand,_

_Some day I hope you understand,_

_For what I gotta do,_

The voice sounded country like, enjoyable and a nice tune to it.

_I know it's gonna be hard to accept,_

_But let it be known that I did what a human had to do,_

_Let me take responsibility,_

_For my consequences when I come back,_

_If I ever come back,_

_I gladly will take the consequences,_

_I know you're gonna be mad,_

_But I hope you understand for what I gotta do._

"Captain?" 1.99 said.

_And I can't let you in,_

_Because it's my choice._

"This is odd. . ." B-4 said. "Missing holoprograms. . ." He had his elbows on the table leaning forward with his hands below his chin. "Take the disc out."

"Ay, Captain." 1.99 said.

"B-4 out," B-4 said. "Computer. . . What is missing?"

"Nothing."

B-4 lowered his hands with a 'you are kidding me' kind of look.

B-4 felt anger, unedifying fury, at what he was realizing. 

Sure a holoprogram device could reactivate itself at will but not when it was locked under the captain's password. Somehow, in the most logic defying way,Security had come alive. It must have been something so important, so very important, something that of a miracle that a holoprogram device was reactivated.  So it was surprising for this to happen to B-4. It was unheard of someone going behind the captain's back to unlock the holoprogram.

That couldn't have been done by a miracle.

There had to be a person behind it.

But who?

WHO THE HELL WENT AGAINST HIS ORDERS?

Rage built up inside the android. B-4 turned his emotions off believing they could compromise him. Surely his brothers (If they had been alive) would do the same.  He had to check the starship bay himself. B-4 stood up, put a lid over the coffee cup concealing the heat inside, and then he exited his ready room. No longer could he feel his emotions. No longer did he stand in the compromising position. He was in a good deal of clarity. The android was so clear a beehive wouldn't disturb him nor would the attack of several Romulon vessels. B-4 was at peace.

"Captain?" Strong said.

"You have the bridge, Number One." B-4 said.

B-4 went onto the turbo lift, and the doors closed on him.

The turbo lift played a theme tune only heard from the _Twilight Zone_.

"I wonder what's up with B-4," Strong said. "Usually he is not like this."

"Maybe it is not his day." Second Commander Sarah Paris suggested.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**. . . Starship bay. . .,**

**. . . Fourteen minutes later.** . 

"Hey Captain!" Came a Ensign repairing a wire into a box. "What brings you down here?"

B-4 turned his direction toward the direction of the Ensign.

"I am here to check the equipment." B-4 said.

The ensign grew surprised standing up.

"But,Captain," The Ensign said. "We just sent the cataloged list of equipment two days ago--" B-4 approached one specific Starship that seemed to be blinking in and out of existence. "What the hell is happening to that mini-starship?"

B-4 touched the underside of the starship only for his hand to go through it.

It became clear the holoprograms had, without authorization, stole a mini-starship.


	20. Accidents happen

**. . . August 18th. . . 2999 . . .**

**. . . Enterprise-Z. . .**

"This is the most stubborn time I ever had with the dial," Muttered a Jefronian.

The Jefronian's were interested in telepaths and had been the ones who rescued Barnabas. They, however, were unaware of his companions aboard the _Change_. Reinwald, Wellis, T'ella, and everyone else.

"You are not alone." The second Jefronian said.

"I wish these Romulans would tell us how a mere program could hack us out." The first Jefronian grunted.

The second Jefronian looked up toward the transporter.

"Let's try it one last time."  The first Jefronian said.

The second Jefronian pressed a button.

In a melody appeared a barely conscious Barnabas with closed eyes and a alarmingly sickly appearance. His skin had become white instead of the normal light brown color, his skin was  covered by what seemed to be water, and he seemed to be at rest unaware of the events happening around him. The first Jefronian came toward the Romulan-Cardassian's side then he touched Barnabas's shoulder. In a instant the two vanished before the first Jefronian's sight.

"DAMN YOU!" The first Jefronian slammed his fist into the panel.

Electrical sparks sounded off going in all directions inflicting deep burns into the side of his face. He screamed falling back to the floor. Shortly afterward three other Jefronian's came to the first Jefronian's aid. One of the Jefronians had a medical kit in a bag around his shoulder. They seemed to have far less advanced technology. The wall was painted purple. The rug was  a deep sea blue color. There was a wall monitor sat on the wall across from the 'dial' machine referred to most commonly as the transporter controls in the Milky Way galaxy.

The medic Jefronian took out a syringe from the shoulder sack.

"Get him to Med Bay!" The clearly Spanish accented medic Jefronian shouted to the others by the first Jefronian's side.

The two Jefronian's helped their fellow comrade up and took him out of the transport room.

The medic Jefronian rubbed his chin looking over to the machine that still had little sparks here and there.

"What a fool." The medic Jefronian said.

The medic Jefronian went out the door then in came some engineer based Jefronians to repair the damage including two guards.


	21. Holoprograms

**. . . August 19th. . . 2999 . . .**

**. . . The Charge. . .**

Humans.

Romulassians.

Romulons.

Cardassians.

Klingons.

Vulcans.

Romulans.

Dekardians.

Jefronians.

Vidiians.

And so on.

What did they all share?

Of course,  they shared what photonic related beings did not have.

They had life.

Life; organs, blood, capable of breathing, feeling their heart race, and have bones. In ways androids, cyborgs, and holoprograms envied humans for having what they did not.  They had bones. They had real eyes. They had real tongues and teeth. They could reproduce. Being given emotions wasn't enough.  Though there are many holoprograms who do not mind the difference and some that see there difference as not fair. Life wasn't fair to them as it had been countless times before.

"How far are we from the destination?" Chief Security said

"Six hours." The Navigator holoprogram said.

"Captain, where are we--"

Chief Security quickly recognized the voice as someone who had died centuries ago.  Someone he had met eight years ago in 2991. He had been activated by B-4 in 2990. Anyway,Chief Security turned the chair around in the direction of the young African American man standing at the door holding a very stunned.  He could see this version still had the visor. Geordi stepped back.

"Geordi La Forge," Chief  Security said, as he stood up. "Do not panic."

"Where am I?" Geordi asked.

"We met before," Chief Security said. "Remember me. . . The one who tackled a Romulan Assassin from murdering a Klingon Representative on the Enterprise?"

"No,"  Geordi said. "I never met you."

Chief Security had a 'Oh' expression on his face.

"All right," Chief Security said. "My name is Security Holoprogram 2.97," He tapped on the metal triangle item attached to his shoulder. "I have the experience of thousands of security personnel and knowledge including tactile. You may call me 'Chief' or 'Security'." Security stepped forward holding his hand out  portraying his best smile. "Welcome aboard the _Charge,_ sir."

Geordi stared at the Romulan for awhile.

"You are. . " Geordi shook Chief's hand. "Different."

"Paranoria gripped the species I was designed off," Chief  Security said. "And very isolate." He shook his head. "I pity those who lived in that era."

They stopped shaking hands.

"Uh, so where are you heading?"

"To the Sombrero galaxy,sir."

Geordi gasped.

"But. . . That is not possible. ." Geordi said.

"Yet, in your time," The Navigator holoprogram said. "We use a different kind of power to send us through space due to the warp pollution."

"And we still have warp engines because the power is similar but not that deadly to the environment," Chief Security said. "You are welcome to visit engineering."

"What's the story behind the Cardassian?" Geordi asked.

"Telling  you would be spoiling,sir," Chief Security said.

"Can you stop calling me sir and call me Geordi?" Geordi asked.

"I was programmed to be polite at all times." Chief Security said.

"Well, not everyone likes being called sir, Chief." Geordi acknowledged.

"I can adjust my programming for that request," Chief Security said. "I have edited my programming for your experience, Geordi."

Why yes, he had the knowledge and experience of every Security chief/Tactile officer but meeting his idols in person? That topped the cake. He made his own experience over the years because some of the experience were outdated and were not up to date. They were simply not up for the occasions. It was Sonny's words to him that sparked his drive to experience.

The kind of power they used to get from place to place?

It mainly can't be described properly without sound like a man has gone mad and devoted his entire life to Science Fiction.

That's just the opinion of someone from the 30th century.

"Why thank you," Geordi said. "And how did I get here?"

"Time rupture or temporal abnormality," Chief Security said, as in came 2.99 through the doors along with another counterpart being 3.00. "Brothers, at ease."

Geordi looked over to see Romulans who did not resemble Chief Security at all.

Security was more recognizable than them.

"But Chief--" 3.00 started to say but Security cut him off.

"You will only guide him to his quarters or engineering," Chief Security said. "Until Geordi returns to his own time."

"He could be a Romulon!" 3.00 said.

"Make no mistake about his appearance," Chief Security said. "He is one hundred percent human and if you argue about his originality any further I will have to shut you down until we get to the captain which is what **I  do not want to do**!" Security returned his attention to Geordi. "We have a cybernetic's lab in this class of Starships. Perhaps we have a cybernetic holoprogram who could be of some help for you." He glared back to the two. "Have I made myself perfectly clear?"

"Yes, Chief."  The two said.

"Sure you are not a captain holoprogram?" Geordi asked.

"I have a emergency captain program that is a result of the leadership from my first captain," Chief Security said. "I strongly advise, six hours from now, that you stay in the safest part of this vessel as my two brothers will show."

The tone in Security's voice indicated he was dead serious to Geordi.


	22. Out of here

“So, before you were on the Charge,” Franky said. “What were you doing?”

“We were exploring this starship, most of who consisted of me, Worf, the captain, Riker, and Data.” Geordi said.  
Franky tilted his head.

“But doesn’t the landing party in your era exclude the captain?” Franky asked.

“Well . . .” Geordi said. “I don’t know what exactly intrigued the captain but I was ordered to go because . . .” Geordi turned his head up toward Franky. “All I know is that it had my combadge on it.”

Franky turned his attention to the panels.

“Interesting,” Franky said. “It seems you are in a time vortex, Mr La Forge.”

“Time. . . Vortex?” Geordi said.

Franky nodded wheeling away from the other side of the room to a panel.

“Engineer program to space suit bay.”

“Space Suit bay here.”

“We are doing a Mulder thing,” Franky said. “Get a space suit ready for Mr La Forge.”

“I thought operations would have a cooler name than ‘A Mulder thing’ in 2999.” Geordi said.

“Will do.” The holoprogram replied. “Out.”

Franky turned toward Geordi.

“In one episode of the X-Files, Fox Mulder gets stuck aboard a particular ship in the Bermuda triangle,” Franky explained. “He is stuck in a time vortex. Scully and The Lone Gunmen search for him aboard the ship while Fox runs with Scully’s look alike from the OSS era (before there was secret service or FBI or IBF) at any given moment he could have stopped with the lookalike then found himself in the same room as Scully who was there. She would have found his badge then grown desperate, afraid, and determined to find her partner. But that never happened. . . as the saying goes ‘just keep swimming’. He urged the look alike to steer the ship back in the direction they were coming back. A man called ‘Thor’s Hammer’ was aboard and could have turned the tide of the war in World War 2. Anyway, Mulder got OUT of the time vortex by jumping into the water where he was found by the Scooby gang. In the beginning his boat crashed against the ship and it shattered, and the crew men brought him aboard. There were a lot of lookalikes he knew aboard the ship.”

Geordi simply nodded, going ‘uh huh’ and ‘oh’.

All the while thinking: _Is this man nuts?_

Franky stopped, once rolling back to the panels he had been at beside Geordi.

“You know this is required knowledge for all Engineer holoprograms,” Franky said. “The X-Files is a accepted source in Star Fleet since 2687 after countless movies and newly rebooted reincarnations.”

“I never heard of the X-Files until today.” Geordi said.

Franky stood up.

“Good,” Franky said. “Because I am going to save your ass.”

Franky delivered the Vulcan Nerve Pinch then he caught Geordi into his arms.

“Engineer holoprogram 4.87!” Franky shouted. “Get this man to the space suit bay and send him out!”


	23. We can only make

The Jefronian engineers were hard at work to recover Barnabas so they can perform tests. They were at this for hours on end. Their hands graze the bulkhead frame of the dial waiting any moment for their wanted one. They had to run a series of tests regarding his unknown physiology to see how such a being who looked healthy could not speak. They had heard stories of these beings that were capable of speaking but this was a half-breed. A half-breed was unknown to the Jefronians and a new species worthy of discovery.

They looked up toward the transporter.

Instead of two figures appeared three, namely all three being Romulans, holding their star fleet issued disruptors at the Jefronian’s direction. Chief Security shouted, ‘Fire!’ and then the four Jefronians were stunned knocked unconscious. The four collapsed to the ground sprawled all over with their knees bent to the side. The three holoprograms got off the transporter pad then came to the side in front of the transporter. Chief Security came over to the transporter panel then pressed a few buttons here and there.

Chief Security looked up to see an ill Barnabas standing up with his elbow wrapped in arm by a Jefronian.

“Drop the man.” Chief Security said.

“I can kill him!” The Jefronian said, pointing his phaser at Barnabas’s right temple.

“No, you won’t.” 3.00 said, stepping forward. “No one will die today.”

Barnabas’s eyes came to life showing their green intensity.

“Get him to the ship.” Chief Security said, putting his disruptor into its holster.

3.00’s eyes stayed on the captain.

“Ay,Chief,” 3.00 said. “You can count on us.”

“. . . Security. . .” Barnabas said.

“I killed you once, and I can do it again!” The Jefronian said.

Security charged forward slamming the Jefronian to the ground, allowing the grip around Barnabas’s elbow to go slack and break. The Jefronian screeched firing repeatedly into the holoprogram’s chest. The two security holoprograms had taken Barnabas the arm dragging him from the transporter. Barnabas was mumbling ‘Security. . .’ as his voice regained its strength even in the high pitch tone it was in.

“Go!” Chief Security demanded. “NOW!”

The Jefronian fired into the holodevice keeping Chief Security stabilized.

“NoooOOooo!” Barnabas screamed.

The three were beamed to the _Charge_.


	24. Sure of a story

“And then he did the Vulcan Nerve Pinch on me,” Geordi finished the story to HIS Captain Kathryn Janeway. “Next I know is being hauled into the _Enterprise_.”

“La Forge,” Janeway said. “You were missing for ten days.”

“So that’s why Data looked at me oddly.” Geordi said.

“It may have been four hours to you but it was much, much longer for us.”

“I understand, Captain,” Geordi said. “I recommend nobody go aboard that ship for the time being.”

Janeway’s face faltered.

“Data is onboard.” Janeway said.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**.. .10 minutes later. .**

Data was observing what had been left of the Charge’s cybernetics room. It was dark and heavily damaged. There were metal pieces of what appeared to be triangles left all over the place on the floor in various little shapes. Data knelt down to what seemed to be a spared disc. Data picked it up holding it in his line of sight. It was odd, really, that it still had power.

Suddenly a blast struck against the ship making the room go sideways except for Data.

Data was standing there straight seemingly unaffected by the law of gravity.

Data tilted his head seeing electrical sparks flying in all directions.

There were figures blinking in and out of existence.

“Janeway to Data!” Came a woman’s voice over his combadge. “Do you read me?” She sounded panicked. “Data!”

Data tapped on his combadge.

“This starship is under attack, apparently, Captain,” Data replied, matter of factly. “It seems this starship is being piloted by holoprograms.”

“We. . . beaming. . . you, back!”

Data noticed his hand was becoming the colors of patterns.

“Captain, it seems they are in dire need of help.” Data acknowledged.

Data lowered his hand.

“We. . . unable.. . help them.”

“Captain?” Data said, alarmed. “The connection is breaking.”

“Stand still . . . Mr Data!”

“Affirmative,” Data said. “Data out.”

Data materialized on the _Enterprise_ with a cybernetic holoprogram in his right hand.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Janeway sighed, sitting down into the captain’s chair once being told Data had been beamed safely into the transporter room without a hitch. Geordi sighed, relieved as well, for his friend’s safe return. He walked off the bridge into the turbo lift to return to engineering. The doors closed behind Geordi.

Then the sounds of firing commenced drawing Janeway’s attention once more.

There was the _Charge_ twirling out of the firing range of what seemed to be a unique starship that resembled the _Falcon_ from _Star Wars_. Janeway had orders to stay out of conflicts that did not concern Star Fleet or the _Enterprise_. The _Charge_ fired back, Janeway made an order to interrupt this random attack and fire some warning shots on the approaching starship. The attack halted on the smaller starship. The attack then turned upon the USS _Enterprise_. A few shots were exchanged shots inflicting damage upon the _Enterprise_.

The Jefronian starship came to a stop seemingly after fifteen shots. There were dark ink like blotches on the armor; sparks erupting on either side of the saucer section, the windows had cracks inside, and the firing phaser blasters had their tip be destroyed from repeated fire power striking against them. There was little to no activity inside the _Charge_. Nothing. It had been decloaked.

It had returned to its original status: empty.

This was puzzling Janeway.

“Hail the attacker.”

“Hailing.”

On the screen appeared a Jefronian.

“ARE YOU CAPABLE OF TELEPTY, TERRAN?”

Janeway frowned.

She understood their language.

And she knew how to speak it.

“Lower your voice,” Janeway said. “I am Captain Kathryn Janeway of the USS Enterprise.”

The Jefronian frowned.

“ _Enterprise_?” The Jefronian repeated.

“Yes.” Janeway said,

“Funny, the _Enterprise_ is in the Andromeda galaxy. . .” The Jefronian said. His eyes turned into a sharp glare at the human. “Why you Terran, trying to fool me, you realize that we are more intelligent than how our inferior technology portrays us!”

Janeway sighed briefly looking down then turned her head up toward the Jefronian.

“I am not trying to fool you,” Janeway said. “This is the only ship called the _Enterprise_ in the Alpha Quadrant.”

The Jefronian frowned.

“Why you liar.” Jefronian said.

The screen turned black.

Data walked onto the bridge and was the first one to notice the change in the star collection that resembled rows of shoes of every kind. It was a first for Data to see this kind of unique pattern in the stars. Across from the abandoned _Charge_ was a quiet dark red starship that seemed like ghost ship. The _Change_ lacked life. There were occupied pods lined in a large wide room that had yellow paint and dark beams at their sides. Though, as we can see, there is a timer on the rounded bridge. The timer went off making the ship explode leaving silence behind but a visible red flare.

“Captain.” Data said.

“Yes, Mr Data?” Janeway said.

“We’re not in the Alpha Quadrant.” Data said.


	25. Repairs are being made

Hopelessly stranded in the future and little to no star base nearby, they were in a pickle. Janeway viewed it as something temporary. They did what repairs they could by having the repair walls up, fully seal any holes leading to outer space, and use what tools related to the repair process. They needed a full day to do these repairs. It made Janeway shudder at the idea of being stuck here forever.

She could always ring up Q and kindly request a return.

But when she called his name, Q did not show.

In fact, he did not show up for eleven hours.

The idea of Q ignoring the calls made Janeway downright furious. They didn’t have a nearby wormhole, have a star base nearby, and for miles ahead there wasn’t a civilization in sight. The _Charge_ hadn’t moved in those hours. Not a light came on. Truth to be shown, Janeway was afraid. For years she had been accustomed to the random pop up of Q starting from Star Base 6.78 and Far Point. She started up a relationship with the entity shortly after he had been turned human. Q left the _Enterprise-D_ to protect her. She nearly died because of his enemies. Q had told her, _“If you died because of me, I wouldn’t forgive myself_.” That nightmare happened to be the reason why Q regained his powers and immortality, since then they continued their relationship at the behest of Kathryn.

Janeway expected for Q to pop up at any given time.

There was a void around her.

Empty quarters.

Empty ready room.

Empty briefing room.

She could imagine Q’s reaction to this:

_“Exploring a new galaxy for a whole day and you are broken!” He would have glared at Janeway taking her by the shoulders. “You’ve grown dependent on me, haven’t you?” She would have shaken her head. “That is not the Kathy I know!” A look in his eyes changed to what could be apparently compared to ‘a light bulb went off’ in his head. “Ah, that’s it.” He would have snapped his fingers. “I will stay out of your business so you rebuild your independence. A Q cannot have a dependent human that breaks apart when Q are busy.”_

Here Janeway was in the dark red ready room reading a damage report.

**Beep.Beep. Beep.**

“Come in.” Janeway said.

Riker came into the quarters.

“Captain,” Riker said. “There are some concerns among the crew that the _Enterprise_ is to become a generational ship.”

Janeway lowered the padd down on the table.

“A generational ship. . .” Janeway said, with a shudder. The thought of her crew living their entire lives aboard this ship was terrifying. She didn’t want to think honestly that Q wanted her to learn a painful hideous lesson: He is not always going to be there. “No need to think of that, we will find our way back.”

A generational ship is a Starfleet vessel where the original crew members have children who continue the mission their parents were on and they have children who do what their grandparents did until they reach their destination. Some generational ships had chronostasis pods, age-defying pods to prevent any kind of change but kept them alive, and medical pods that preserved the life of the patients keeping the last neurons preserved in the brain (Or not, depending if they are not already dying). The _Enterprise_ was a certified Explorer Galaxy model that accommodated for families.

“Captain, perhaps. . .” Riker was reluctant to say it. “Q can be of some help.”

Janeway sighed, leaning forward rubbing the side of her temples.

“I have already done that,Number One,” Janeway said. “I wish he would pop up.”

“Permission to speak freely, Sir.” Riker requested.

“Permission granted.” Janeway said.

“We are not picking up Mrs Troi anytime soon, are we?” Riker asked, softly.

Janeway lowered her hands on the table and stood up.

“Mr Troi,” Janeway said. “We are going to get back, generational ship or not, alive to the Alpha Quadrant.”

She was no empath but. . . Janeway could feel a sense of hope in the room from Riker. She couldn’t have known where it was coming from. Yet, the way he looked up from the table surely indicated it was coming off him. It made Janeway appreciate Riker even more. A renewed sense of hope in those burning determined eyes.

Her friend, Jean-Luc Picard, was stationed on the USS Voyager. It had gone missing 18 months ago.

It was Q who approached Janeway all those months ago.

Q brought Janeway the bad news one month ago.

_“He is dead.” Q whispered, one night with his back against the wall._

_Janeway narrowed her eyes toward the entity._

_“Q, who is dead?” Janeway asked._

_Q turned away, obviously feeling guilty, his attention fixated at the rows of space passing by._

_“Your. . . Your friend.” Q said, softly while shaking._

_Janeway’s hands rolled up into fists._

_“Q, stop being vague and tell me!” Janeway demanded,_

_“Picard. . . The Voyager,” Q turned away from the window. “I didn’t know Quinn was going to do that.” He lowered his head. Q hadn’t acted this way before in the years Janeway had known him. “I didn’t_ _know.”_

L _earning the death of her well known friend was devastating. That was how Janeway learned the Voyager was stuck in another quadrant (Or used to be: for that matter) where he returned it into the Alpha Quadrant. Q explained about how he wanted to tell her for so long but Picard flatly refused any of the sorts. They didn’t need pity or speculation on whether or not they were really alive and conspiracies. That was Picard for everyone. Q explained how he had to respect Picard’s last wishes of not interfering with Quinn’s death and his death for that matter. Picard, by accident, had drunken poisoned tea meant for Quinn._

_It explained the numerous and random supernovas going on in the Alpha Quadrant that destroyed several planets and were restored days afterwards. It also explained why in various starships it was raining on the crew! How moons were randomly knocked out of orbit making the shapes of melodies and crashed and were destroyed then restored. The whole quadrant went mad! The madness ceased yesterday._

_They both cried that night._

_Q then explained he may or may not see her again shortly before his departure, “The Q continuum needs change, Kathy.”_

That lasted for a year.

Q popped up unexpectedly one day with a red ribbon around the saucer section of the Enterprise.

Q explained that, in the midst of a civil war, two Q decided to mate and create a new Q to end the carnage.

Janeway listened intently and noticed a scar along his neck.

He claimed it was nothing but Janeway later found out it was a wound that surely would have meant his end if it wasn’t for another Q’s intervention. The medic Q which was how Q referred to him as. Q told Kathy what was on his mind when he thought it was going to end for him in the continuum. The only thought on his mind? It was: _I miss Kathy_. Of all his arch nemesis and ‘friends’ in the universe, Q could only think about Janeway.

They had quite the night together.

After a short discussion, Riker left Janeway’s ready room a renewed man.


	26. Change

It had been three days since the events unfolded. No longer in Federation space. No longer in their era. The crew had been gossiping about Q’s where about and why he hasn’t shown up. Data had mentioned to Janeway that there is a possibility whatever happened to the _Enterprise_ was never meant to happen. A flaw in the continuum of time and space. Purely accidental. So much so that Q is not aware anything has happened.

She sat in the captain’s chair as they were towing the _Charge_ back in the direction leading to their galaxy.

Then a force-field stopped the _Enterprise_ knocking everyone down on the floor.

Janeway was the first to stand up.

The force-field glowed blue and vanished before their eyes. Two extra Jefronian starships appeared both with the design of the _Falcon_ from _Star Wars._ She saw a third Jefronian starship appear right above the two staring right at the _Enterprise_. Janeway ordered a standard hailing to the Jefronian starship. The screen grew to life.

“We have you surrounded,” The Jefronian said. “Give us the telepath or we will destroy your starship.”

“The telepath is not in our possession,” Janeway said. “If you are in any position to help us back to the Alpha Quadrant then we will take it and let you have the starship we are towing.”

The Jefronian stared at Janeway for a long while.

“If you are lying, I swear. . .” The Jefronian started.

“You will see that we are not lying.” Janeway said.

The Jefronian frowned.

“Welcome to the new age, Janeway.” The Jefronian grunted.

The screen turned dark.

“What does he mean by the new age?” Riker asked, puzzled.

“I have a bad feeling about this. . . Being.” Janeway said, then she gave the towing order to be dropped.

The two Jefronian’s tow it to the middle.

Then the unexpected happened.

The Charge discharged a lot of phaser power upon the two Jefronian ships sending it flying in either direction. The Charger was struck, blast at, and rocketed back and forth. Janeway acted with phaser fire on the attacking Jefronian’s. Suddenly the Charge exploded in either direction followed by bright white light going in all directions. It was like a new galaxy had been born before their eyes. Fast as it appeared the light shrunk, and shrunk until it was all but a small ball that vanished.

Janeway stood there, flabbergasted.

The Charge had destroyed the other Jefronian starship with quick work.

Now they were firing at the Enterprise.

Lights sparked in the bridge.

She was going to die any minute due to her interference and so would all souls aboard.

“Captain, we are being hailed!”

Janeway stood there, stunned, that someone was contacting them while under assault by mysterious related alien beings.

“On screen.” Janeway said.

On the screen appeared forty-nine year old man with dark eyebrows, hair that had long ago turned gray, and a familiar face. He had eyes just like Janeway, a determined look similar to Picard when dead serious, straight shoulders, and properly seated. The first thought on her mind was: _Picard?_

“Need some help?” Adrian said. That voice was unusually southern unlike Picard. “This is Captain Adrian P Janeway of the _Voyager_ , sorry we got here so late, and we had a little trouble with the Romulons in the pinwheel galaxy.”

The attacks upon the _Enterprise_ ceased and the much larger starship flew with such grace. Rapid fire was exchanged chasing after the two Jefronian starships until they could not fire anymore. The _Voyager_ came upon the _Enterprise_ activating a secure field from the still flying Jefronian starships. The _Voyager_ , itself, was heavily damaged but still operating. But there was a collective shock on the bridge of the _Enterprise_.

“Picard?”

Adrian blinked.

“I am sorry, but you are confusing me for someone else.” Adrian said.

“Jean-Luc Picard?” Janeway said.

It hit Adrian.

“No,” Adrian said. “Picard died centuries ago.” He shared a nod to his first officer then turned his attention to Janeway. “Seems you are very unaware of where you are and when you are. I will do the explaining. You are in the 30th century, 2999. Everyone you know of is dead.”

“Deanna. . .” Riker said

Adrian’s eyes widened.

“Pardon me . . . is that William T Riker aboard your ship?” Adrian asked.

“Yes.” Janeway said.

Adrian rubbed his chin.

“That is. . . unexpected,” Adrian said. “I have two questions for you . . .What was it like after Q never came up in your life again? What were you thinking when Q said that he was leaving for good?”

That stung.

“We got here three days ago,” Janeway said. “Q and I had a correspondence until that occurred.”

“I am sorry that I have to tell you this. . .” Adrian said. “But Q will never ever appear to you again, nor to humanity or to those close to him,” Adrian cleared his throat. “It has been . . . 623 years since Q left us.”

Janeway kept back what feelings she had regarding this issue.       

This had to be some kind of abnormality.

Why else would they be this far into the future?

“This is the USS _Enterprise-D_ ,” Janeway said. “I first took command of this vessel in 2364, now, tell me again Q is not going to appear.”

“There is a chance he will get up and say goodbye and never appear to anyone in your universe again.”  Adrian said.

The shields were penetrated. A rush of feelings and thoughts came through Janeway's mind all being mixed. The thought of Q breaking up with her and never popping up in the federation seemed like a impossible thing. A dream in fact. A terrible dream. A terrible idea.  The _Voyager_ trembled from side to side. The machinery regained power firing torpedoes in the firing opponents. In her mind she called for Q, pleading for him to come and fix it all.

"I understand." Janeway said.

"I am so sorry I had to break you the news." Adrain said, with regret.

"What does the P stand for?" Janeway asked.

"My middle name. . . I recently learned it was from the Picard Family  Wine Vinery. All this time I thought it was Peterson, Patterson, and Petri." Adrian had a short laugh.  "So much for my luck." The _Voyager_ trembled.  "Listen, I will go and you have to, at least try, get away from the Jefronain's fast as you can. You are a natural part of history, any ship, any time. Janeway out."

The contact had ceased between the two counterparts.

The _Voyager_ detached from the _Enterprise D_ going into the distance.

And then before Janeway's eyes the _Voyager_ exploded.

The explosion was so intense it burned away the third Jefronian starship leaving only one badly damaged.

"Warp 8."

"Ay, captaine."

"Captain, are you considering running away?"

"It is our only choice, Number One."


	27. After so long.

**. . . Enterprise D. . .**

**. . . The one with Captain Janeway. . .**

Q appeared in the middle of the bridge. Everyone seemed to freeze at the white flash like it spelled certain doom upon them. Q had been repeatedly trying to get here, multiple, multiple times. Riker stood up from the captain's chair with a out-right-furious look about his face. Riker had four pips on his collar.  But Q didn't pay attention to the pips.

"Where the hell have you been?" Riker asked, with temper in his voice.

"Careful how you ask that question, Number Two," Q said, shaking his index finger back and forth. "Now where is the captain?"

"In her quarters," Riker said. "I swear if you  hurt her--"

"You'll do what?" Q asked. "Say my name backwards three times as P? I am not Beetle-juice you know," Q rolled an eye. "Whatever business I have is not going to harm her," He shook his hands defensively. "So relax your beard, Mr Troi, as I am harmless."

Deanna Troi walked onto the bridge.

Riker glared at the entity.

"You've been warned." Riker said.

Q held up his hand to snap his fingers.

"You are acting very odd today, Number Two." Q said, baffled.

Riker narrowed his eyes toward Q.

Q snapped his fingers.

Q appeared at the door of Janeway's quarters. He pressed a button. The doors smoothly opened to reveal a dark quarters that seemed as though nobody was inside. Q looked around, concerned, then he walked in searching for any life. Something about this did not feel right.  Q walked until he stopped at the dark black coffee table positioned right in front of the couch. We see behind him the figure of Kathryn Janeway.

"Hello Q." Janeway said, in a low voice.

Q turned in the direction of Janeway.

"Kathy," Q said. "What is so urgent?"

Janeway went into his arm and cried, clenching at his warm uniform.

"I thought I lost you." Janeway said.

"Kathy?" Q asked, in a concerned voice stroking the back of her head as he looked down toward Janeway. "You never lost me."

To Q, Janeway looked young just the way he last left her.

To us, the audience, Janeway is twenty-three plus years older than she was originally. She had gray hair, wrinkles on her face, and she did look damn fine as a older woman. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her eyes were closed. She had struck a deal with a entity long ago to help her crew return to the right timeline they belonged at a cost. It had been a week since their return. The cost? Her youth. This entity wasn't a Q. It was a being similar to Q but referred to itself as 'M'.

Her youth was stolen.

How?

To everyone she was gone for a day.

But to Janeway she was gone for twenty-three years.

"I missed you." Janeway said.

"Ah come on," Q said. "I was gone for two months,Kathy." He snapped his fingers cleaning his uniform of her tears. "Now you are concerning me. Are you that dependent on me?"

"No!" Janeway said.

Q tilted his head.

"Maybe I am wearing the wrong eyes," Q said, followed by straightening his head. "Something is not right."

In a white flash his eyes change color to a bright blue then they returned to their usual shade. He tilted her head up toward him with a grim expression about his face. A face she had missed for twenty-three years. He couldn't undo Janeway's aged appearance. The power of a M had been done on her. He couldn't get around it. It was totally bullet proof.

Q lifted her head up toward him.

Q didn't want to believe a M did this!

Why would they want to do this TO HER?

"Who did this to you?" Q asked.

"I did this." Janeway.

Q grabbed Janeway by the shoulders.

"I know you are lying," Q said. "Tell me the truth!"

"M did this!" Janeway shouted back. Q let go of Janeway's shoulders. "I did it to bring us back! You never showed up when we _needed_ you!"

Q backed off.

"I _couldn't_ get to you,Kathy," Q said. "It was like requesting access into a forbidden timeline. The door wouldn't budge." He paced back and forth. "It is like knocking on the door, giving a password, and then red words appearing on the door reading 'access denied'."  He had both hands behind his back. "No matter how hard I tried I _could not_ be there for you. I know your life is basically over, and I _should have_ been there to stop it! To stop you from making the greatest mistake of your life. I can't make you young again. I understand the warning the now Captain Riker gave me. Maybe I should have never popped up in your life in the first place."

"Q, I don't regret meeting you." Janeway said.

"Now, I am the one with the regret!" Q shouted. "Your fate wasn't supposed to be twisted this way!"

"How do I look?" Janeway asked.

Q looked up.

"To me, you never aged a day," Q said. "I see you are in civilian attire . . . Maybe I can prevent myself from--"

Janeway took Q's hand stopping him from turning away to leave her quarters.

"Q," Janeway said. "I have finally come to a decision with your offer."

The offer he made in 2364. 

It started out as:

_"I have a offer you will not refuse!" Q said, after appearing in a white flash sitting in the first officer's chair by Janeway._

_"Uh uh." Janeway said._

_"Would you like to be turned into a Q?" Q asked._

_Janeway hesitated._

_"Let me think about this," Janeway said. "I have to consider my options."_

_Q grinned holding his hand up to snap his fingers._

_"I'll be back." Q said, in a Australian accent._

_Q vanished letting Riker reappear._

_Throughout the day the conversation wasn't much of a conversation._

_"Have you decided yet?"_

_Janeway's face turned red._

_"No, Q, OUT OF MY TUB!"_

_And he kept asking for days onwards._

_"Have you decided?" Q asked, sitting on the bed fumbling with his fingers._

_Janeway sighed, in her PJ's, reminding herself who she was talking to._

_"No, Q." Janeway said._

_Q appeared to be disappointed._

_"Ah drats." Q said, snapping his fingers._

_Q vanished._

_And then there was that one time he appeared in her ready room on the sofa._

_"Have you decided?" Q asked._

_"Q, I am not going to make the decision easily if you keep pestering me about it!" Janeway said._

_"Ah, so you need time. . ." Q asked. "Well then. . . I'll give you that space."_

Q's jaw went slack and there was a genuine look of shock.

"No?" Q guessed.

"Yes." Janeway said.

"I knew you would agree!" Q said, making his hand slip out of Janeway's.

"That is not what I meant."  Janeway said.

"Oh?"  Q said. "Did you mean: No Q, I have decided not to accept your offer.  It's been years since the continuum agreed with me and they all preferred if I asked your friend Picard," He threw his hands up in the air spreading apart then flailed them. "But I said 'no, let's give her a shot. She might be worth it. Bring a gradual but acceptable change to the continuum that would be more of a splash than I ever did in my beginning years!'" He lowered his hands. "Just convincing them that you would make the same difference as Picard was not easy!  In fact just convincing them of anything before the civil war was not easy. Nowadays they go ahead with some other Q's decision and they flatly reject my ideas without any of my testimony. They say hearing it is not needed. Something is very wrong with that picture!"

Janeway watched the entity pace back and forth.

"If they can't listen to my ideas then what is the point of being a Q?" Q asked. "What is the point?" Janeway folded her arms. "If you can't go anywhere without permission from the continuum to explore where no man has gone before. . ." There was a glint in Q's eye as he held up his right hand then swayed it to the side like he had shown a whole new world with one arm wrapped around Janeway's shoulder "And elevate other races all at the same time. . . " He lowered his right hand staring blankly at passing stars. "That is the pinnacle of pointillism."

Janeway cleared her throat.

"I did say yes, but you are missing one part." Janeway said.

Q took his arm off around her shoulder then faced Janeway.

"I said 'No'. You said, 'Yes'." Q said. "I am  afraid I am not missing anything Kathy."

"You said, "Would you like to be a Q?'. I hesitated, 'Let me think about this. I have to consider my options' Then you said, 'I'll be back'." Janeway said, unfolding her arms and placed them on her hips.

Q nodded.

"Why yes, I _did_ say that." Q said.

And that look on Janeway's face read 'And-you-are-back'.

"And you said, 'No?' and  I said 'Yes'." Janeway went on.

Q frowned.

"What are you trying to say?" Q asked. "Did you and the old Vulcan meet up and talk about me behind my back?"

"I said yes to your question." Janeway said.

Q sighed.

"Don't remind me." The entity sulked.

"Q," Janeway said. "I accept."

"Kathy. . . is this some joke you concocted with the Vulcan?" Q asked.  "I knew switching bodies with him gave him a dry sense of humor!"

"No, Q," Janeway said. "For thirty years I have thought long and hard about it. The mind meld I shared with Spock showed me only what I needed to see. . . and some that he could not prevent to be seen. I saw his voyages, I saw the asteroid hurling toward Earth, I am fine with you being Bispeciel, I've seen more about you then I care to know. It is the person who counts inside not by the opinions of others. **I love you** , Q."

"You realize that you are leaving everyone behind, Kathy." Q said in a soft voice.

"Outside of Star Fleet. . . I don't really," Janeway said. "Just friends."

"I am not going to be the one who trains you, my dear captain," Q said, rubbing her chin. "But convincing the continuum to . . . accept you as a Q is going to be difficult. You'll have to explain why you should exist as a Q and a individual, why I shouldn't be punished for not asking for permission and be rejected and not get thrown out of the continuum for it," Q wiped off a tear from his eye turning away. "I can't believe this is really happening. I believed you would never come around."

Janeway took Q's hand and squeezed it.

"Isn't it the same thing you've put me through?" Janeway asked. 

Q looked over to Janeway with a smile. 

"More harder than me," Q said. "I am going to make you a Q. . ." His smile faded into a serious one.  "And you will find yourself overwhelmed by the power at first. After you are a Q, you are Q, you may call yourself the relic that reminds you of who you are as a person but to everyone else you are Q. Q from Earth. Q from the Q continuum to outsiders.  To me? You are just Kathryn Janeway, the human who said yes.  My mistress who said yes. A lovely one at best. You may chose any form. Anything. Even your appearance as a Q."

"And if I choose to be old?" Janeway asked, raising a eyebrow.

Q had a low laugh.

"You are still young to me, Kathy." Q said, looking down endearingly toward her.

Janeway lowered her eyebrow.

"Well. .  ." Janeway said, taking Q's elbow.  "Let's go!"

The two vanished in a white flash.


	28. A very good memory

Three days.

Three days since the fall of Chief Security.

Three days Barnabas was asleep.

No more of that.

Barnabas awoke on a biobed.

"Easy going there, Barnabas," EMH II said, using his arm to prevent Barnabas from going any further. Barnabas looked toward the holoprogram's direction. "You have been out for three days, you need rest."

Barnabas frowned.

"I have rest enough."  Barnabas said.

EMH II looked at Barnabas strangely.

"You have a particular voice." EMH II said.

"Don't remind me," Barnabas said, getting off the biobed. "Where am I?"

"Aboard the _Charge_.   . . We are, crazy as it sounds, in the Alpha Quadrant of the Milky Way," EMH II said. "And. . ." He played with his fingers as though not wanting to say what was on his mind. Barnabas grabbed the holoprogram by the shoulders demanding him to say what was on his damn mind. "The Jefronian destroyed the _Change_."

Barnabas let go of EMH II's shoulders.

Everyone.

Dead.

The ones at least part of the campaign against Karon and Christi.

So was Chief Security. Chief Security couldn't be brought back, not ever. He was terminated basically. His program was unique to everyone else and it was very sentient armed with his own experience. Ten long years. Barnabas covered his eyes as tears came out. Barnabas's  eyes didn't grow red but in fact they turned a bright green that stood out from his dark attire. His shoulders went up and down as he cried. Why did Security just go over Barnabas's head without considering for a second his own life? It should not have happened, period. 

Five minutes later the Romulassian stopped weeping for the loss of his great friend.

"I must. . . Go to the bridge."

"No--No--"

"Deactivate Emergency Medical Holoprogram II."

The holoprogram deactivated.

He still could remember the holodevice shattering. He still could remember the slight blip in Chief Security's holoprogram. As though it had just realized its mobile device had been shattered to pieces. There were no holo-emitters installed. None. Obviously the Jefronian's were not advanced people. The holoprogram started to sizzle in a way that his body became different colors as though a television set had terrible antenna's to get a signal. Then the holoprogram sizzled away leaving a blue hovering outline of the body.  The blue outline vanished leaving a electronical spark behind. Photographic memory at its finest. If he were right about his assumption that everyone is a holoprogram. . . Things were not going to be good. 

Barnabas really wished Chief Security obeyed his wishes.

Barnabas walked out of medical bay.


	29. Can't pin a chapter name

The loss of a sibling.

It is like some-one took your heart out, smashed it to pieces, spat on it, then beat up your lifeless body while your ghost stood outside watching it all. For holoprograms given the capability to feel emotions and were recently activated, that is the worst you can ever do: take their sibling away. They do not have what humans have to grief. They are programs who react to their external affairs not internal.

The _Charge_ had been repaired much as it could.

"What are we gonna do when the Jefronian's come?" 2.99 asked.

"Shoot them down, Brother." 3.00 said.

They were adrift in space waiting for whatever the hell was going on to end and take them back to their destination.

"I can't help but think he wouldn't want this," Navigator admitted. "Us to be bent this way on avenging him."

"I have claimed the right of vengeance."  3.00 said.

Navigator,half Cardassian (Well, he is quarter Klingon due to his programming),turned toward 3.00.

"You are not a Klingon!" Navigator said. "Klingons have this sort of thing. Not we. Not Romulans. Not I Cardassian."

"If you cannot do what this vessel is set to do then your program will be changed," 3.00 said, sitting in the captains chair. "Or you will be deleted."

Navigator stood up.

"I refuse to stain Chief's honor by going against our mission perimeters," Navigator said. "We have accomplished it! Isn't that enough?"

3.00 stood up.

"Nothing is enough," 3.00 said. "Brothers. . ." 3.00 smirked.  "Reprogram him."


	30. Where revenge gets you

**. . . 25 minutes later. .**

Barnabas got onto the bridge.

"What ever you are thinking of doing," Barnabas said. "DON'T YOU DARE."

2.99 and 2.98  (A new program crafted by a holopromologist after Security's holoprogram) grabbed Barnabas by the arms keeping him away from 3.00.

"We have to," 3.00 said. "It is our right."

"Let me go!" Barnabas said. "His death is not worth your life! Security wouldn't want this! I don't want this. I wasn't worth it to be saved."

3.00 turned his head toward Barnabas.

"You obviously are so up your ass," 3.00 said. "So selfish. So headstrong. So stubborn.  So self focused. My brother risked his holodevice to SAVE YOUR LIFE." He raised his voice. "My brother looked up to you. He viewed you as someone he would die for and protect!" He turned the chair toward Barnabas. "I see nothing of the sorts telling me that MAN is on this bridge talking to me! You don't notice what we are doing for you! Because unlike what many would do in my position. . . I am going to let you die knowing what you could have done! So self centered. You will die without honor. Your actions say you are not worthy of the title captain. You are just a vigilante. I have checked the records of the C _hange_ before it exploded. You are a murderer."

"It was a good cause." Barnabas said.

"GOOD CAUSE MY ASS!" 3.00 roared. "You murdered innocent Cardassians all to find this one guy who tortured you!"

"I didn't murder them, I never did." Barnabas denied.

"Your logs say otherwise." 3.00 said.

"Fine," Barnabas said. "You want me to admit it? That I put innocent lives on the line?"

"YES!" 3.00 said.

"I risked innocent lives to save the lives of others," Barnabas said. "The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few."

Suddenly the view screen changed.

"Captain!" Navigator shouted. "The Jefronian's appeared."

3.00 turned away from Barnabas.

"All right team," 3.00 said. "Fire all phasers."

Barnabas's eyes widened.

"No!" Barnabas shouted.

The Charge swung from side to side dodging blasts here and there. One side of the ship was struck in the engines area. Barnabas saw, thanks to the hectic flight, that there was a earlier model of the _Enterprise_ firing at the Jefronian's. It was the _Enterprise D_.  He couldn't believe his eyes at what was happened. It seemed too crazy to be true. He has faced more crazier things than usual when aboard the _Enterprise Z_ as her first commanding captain.

It became clear where they were in. 

"This ship is experiencing a temporal abnormality and so is the Jefronians!" Barnabas said. "I beg of you to cease fire and negotiate!"

"Over my broken holodevice." 3.00 said. 

The final blow came swiftly bringing in a quick but painless death only for Barnabas  he was left in  a state of nothingness. Where was he?  He had been told death is unnatural but perhaps he is in heaven and that entity was wrong. He was alone. He didn't see anyone there. Barnabas walked around calling out for anyone. He wanted a explanation. 

"I have frozen time to the instant the starship has become a explosion." Came Treylane's voice.

Barnabas turned in the direction of Treylane's voice.

"You .  . ." Barnabas said.

"So you are technically **NOT DEAD**." Treylane said.

"Did you plot this all?" Barnabas asked.

Treylane appeared laughing. 

"Nice one, Jim!" Treylane said, earning a dead serious look from Barnabas. ". . .No."

"No?" Barnabas repeated.

"No." Treylane repeated.

Barnabas frowned.

"You made this, _all of it_ , Cardassian, " Treylane said, walking around twirling his walking stick. "I allowed this timeline to exist because 1) I wanted you to learn where revenge gets you. 2) I wanted my father's other self's toy to realize he is not always going to be there and he is not always the cause of everything. And 3) revenge hurts everyone you care about, boy."

"All for revenge?" Barnabas asked.

"You've gone down a few pegs from when I last saw you in the ready room," Treylane said. "All I can say is that. . . You have quickly become a disappointment."

Barnabas turned pale.

"Don't say it." Barnabas said.

Treylane put the end of his walking stick on Barnabas's chest.

"Give me five reasons why I shouldn't kill you already." Treylane said, with a grim look.

Barnabas contemplated for five minutes.

"You said death wasn't natural for me." Barnabas said.

Treylane lowered the walking stick off Barnabas's chest.

"Yes, I did."

"I saved the tribbles."

"Don't push your buttons."

"If I die then you will bother some other unfortunate soul."

"And have fun."

"But nothing will ever be the same.  You once told me I was your 'dog bone' and it was quite fun chewing on it."

"But. . . you were a bone back then and I was a dog."

"I would have remembered if happened."

"It _did_ happen."

"Anyway, because of my death the Jefronian's are likely to attack the federation and screw up history as we know it because I was so stubborn and determined to get revenge on Karon starting from the day I woke up in sick bay communicating telepathically."

Treylane smiled.

"That's what I wanted to hear from you," Treylane said. It then hit Barnabas. "You have just admitted your mistake."

Barnabas froze.

"So everyone dies at the end because. . ."

"Of your bitter revenge; why **yes**!"  Treylane said. "There is a glorious one year war and only two thousand people survive the ordeal. B-4 and the many holoprograms are destroyed. Your revenge is so poisonous that EVER SINGLE STARSHIP you were on before has so far crash landed and exploded one year from now! The _Enterprise Z_ crash lands on a deathly planet. No one survives the first week. The holoprograms committed suicide because they couldn't bare the thought of destabilizing. B-4 died in the crash landing. You. Barnabas. Are very much guilty of a lot of bloodshed."

Barnabas lowered his head, sad.

"I. . . I wish I never thought of revenge in the first place." Barnabas said.

Treylane grinned.

"You see, Cardassian, there's a little loophole I made . . ." Barnabas lifted his head up watching the entity sway his index finger back and forth ever so casually. "When you were asleep and thinking of revenge I took the liberty to transfer your mind to a identical reality where nothing is different from yours."

Barnabas gasped.

"So. . . None of this. . . happened?" Barnabas said, in shock.

"It did happen and now it won't. . . Specifically may or may not happen," Treylane said, stepping forward. "You have two choices. Get revenge or save more lives as captain of the _Enterprise Z_."

"I will make the right choice." Barnabas said.

"Good." Treylane said.

"Uh. . .What happens now?" Barnabas asked.

Treylane's face brightened up.

"Now?" Treylane's face turned serious. "You die."

Treylane vanished and the ground below Barnabas gave out, followed by the high pitch scream of a frighted Cardassian.


	31. Epilogue

_Barnabas . . ._

_**SONNY!** _

"Commander, the captain is awake." Sonny said.

B-4 stood up from the chair then approached the biobed.

"He made first contact through thought?" B-4 said.

"Uh huh," Sonny said. "But it will take a couple hours for every part of his body to begin moving. He is still in Transporter Malfunction shock."

". . . Transporter. . . Malfunction . .  Shock?" Barnabas said.

Barnabas could hear his own voice but he couldn't move.

"The _Voyager_ had a problem with the transporter," B-4 said. "Nearly lost Captain Janeway and you to it. You've been out for two days."

"My voice box . . . It is not broken."  Barnabas said.

"Why shouldn't it be?" Sonny asked.

"I am just glad the collar did not harm it," Barnabas said, gladly. "That is all."

Barnabas learned to appreciate his original voice and what he had.

"Captain, it was the collective efforts of Adrian and his former Chief Security Rygork that you are still alive," B-4 said. "I suspect this means anyone who dies are subject to evolution. . . Possibly."

Barnabas could see!

He had his command red eyes in.

"Possibly?" Barnabas said.

"Ensign Worf died and has been given the proper  burial," B-4 said. "According to the _Voyager_ his body has yet to vanish."

"Former Chief Security." Barnabas repeated.

"He evolved after dying, and a missing Security member Cognito is thought to have evolved." B-4 said.

"And captain, you will be fit to move in a day," Sonny said. "Until then, have some well deserved rest . . . and read some holopads regarding the rules and regulations of telepathy in Star Fleet."

"Already done that," Barnabas said. "Read it on my free time."

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**. . . One day later. . .**

**. . . Ready room. . .**

B-4 had seeked advice from the holodeck, well really advice from a holoprogram posing as his brother. Everything was going smoothly, the way it should have been. Barnabas had heard Karon had been shot down by Romulons. A part of him felt victorious and half of him felt pity for the Cardassian. He lowered the report on the desk. 

Pictures of Q without being occupied by bright light was hard to come by in the historical files. The videos regarding his pop ups and actions were. . . lets say. . . lost. They couldn't see his face completely. Some guessed what he appeared as. How he looked as a human. Some of the sketches were ridiculous though really well made.

"See?" Treylane said, leaning against the door frame. "Revenge wasn't necessary. His past caught up with  him."

"What about Christi?" Barnabas asked. 

"She was with him and is very much dead," Treylane said.  "I swear over my home soil I _did not_ interfere."

"Where are you from, anyway?" Barnabas asked.

Treylane smiled.

"Now that would be telling what I am." Treylane said.

Treylane vanished in a white flash.

On a holoslider appeared Adrian.

"Hello, Barnabas," Adrian said. "I trust you heard the news."

Barnabas nodded.

"I did," Barnabas said. "My condolences."

Adrian nodded.

"You are a lucky Romulassian," Adrian said. "Stationed on the _Enterprise Z_ with a amazing crew. Maybe you'll get Q's attention."

Barnabas laughed.

"I don't believe Q would ever appear aboard the _Enterprise-Z_ on his current streak," Barnabas said, as a glint went off in his eye. "I am sure of it." Barnabas paused, turning his hand to a rounded elevated surface on the table. It was worth a shot. Just to try it. "Earl Gray tea, hot."

Adrian had a short laugh.

"Six hundred twenty-three years without Q popping up," Adrian said. "Maybe he will never pop up."

Barnabas's fingers wrapped around the materializing tea cup.

"How's Clair?" Barnabas asked.

Adrian sighed.

"Upset."

"Is there any problems going on?"

"No, I just told her the truth this morning."

Barnabas took a sip of Earl Gray tea as he leaned back into the chair. It had a unique taste to it that earned a scowled look from Barnabas then he took another sip and it tasted different. He swallowed the sip of Earl Gray tea.

"Long as you feel good about telling the truth it is fine with me, " Barnabas said,lowering the cup down to the palm of his hand. "What do you like to discuss about?."

"I had a strange dream involving Kathryn Janeway on the E _nterprise D_ ," Adrian said. "It was so. . ."

Barnabas placed down the tea cup.

"Odd?" Barnabas finished.

"Yes." Adrian said.

"I had a much stranger dream before I woke up in medical bay," Barnabas said. "It started out.  . ."

**The End.**


End file.
